Hip hop culture, graffiti and architecture combine as one. The Hive apartment, the coolest apartment around, is graffiti inspired and located in Melbourne, the city renowned for its funky, impressive street-art. Designed by the architect Zvi Belling of ITN Architects, the Hive is the first in a series of Hip Hop buildings. Made mostly of concrete, this building symbolises the tumultuous relationship between architecture and graffiti. Whether it appeals to you or disgusts you, graffiti exists and is a common form of art around the world. Belling teamed up with old schoolgraffiti artist, Prowla RDC, to make this unusual, radical and not-so-humble looking abode. Not only is the house inovative and cool, but it is environmentally friendly, too. Fully equipped with solar panels lining the roof, the Hive is a green hip-hop home. Arrows, swooshes, and drips have been incorporated into the concrete walls but the biggest statement of all is the four meters high concrete letters spelling 'hive' across the building. Watch out for ITN's next unconventional design as it is bound to be interesting.
When you've made a movie fictionalising your life, played yourself in it and managed to get Marissa Tomei as your mother, what comes next? After The King of Staten Island, Pete Davidson goes for another arrested development-fuelled comedy, this time in sitcom form. The show: Bupkis, the comedian's latest project following his departure from Saturday Night Live — once again riffing on star's own life, and this time enlisting the one and only Joe Pesci, Tomei's My Cousin Vinny co-star, as his grandfather. Arriving on Binge on Thursday, May 4, this may be Davidson's show — indeed, as the just-dropped trailer demonstrates, it pokes plenty of fun at his life, fame and chaos — but having Pesci among the cast is no minor feat. Since 2010, the iconic Goodfellas, Casino and Raging Bull actor (and Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York talent as well) has exactly two on-screen appearances to his name: Martin Scorsese's The Irishman and now Bupkis. Well played, Pesci — if most of us could only roll out of bed for Martin Scorsese and Pete Davidson, we would. In Bupkis, Pesci plays the father of Davidson's mother Amy, which gives the series another tie to a great of the gangster genre: The Sopranos' Edie Falco. From there, the names keep on coming, with guest stars including It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Charlie Day, Red Rocket's Simon Rex, Everybody Loves Raymond's Brad Garrett and Ray Romano, Bodies Bodies Bodies' Chase Sui Wonders, SNL's Kenan Thompson, Miracle Workers' Steve Buscemi, Nine Perfect Strangers' Bobby Cannavale, Black Bird's Paul Walter Hauser, Machine Gun Kelly, Jon Stewart, John Mulaney, Al Gore and Method Man. With Day, Garrett and Romano popping up, clearly Davidson likes TV comedies as much as he likes mobster fare — although It's Always Sunny and Everybody Loves Raymond couldn't be further apart. Across eight episodes, Davidson and all that high-profile help will navigate another semi-autobiographical attempt to grapple with celebrity, everything it brings, keeping family ties healthy — and Davidson in general — and trying to forge meaningful bonds. Getting chased by the paparazzi, wielding a glave, life advice from Pesci, looking after a kid, movie stunts, guns and cars, Googling himself, Gore flashing the Wu-Tang hands: they're all included as well. Check out the trailer for Bupkis below: Bupkis streams via Binge from Thursday, May 4. Images: Heidi Gutman/Peacock.
The picnic mecca that is Moonlight Cinema doesn't just show movies outdoors each summer. It does exactly that, obviously, but it's also fond of theming its openair film selection around different parts of its season. So, when it kicked off for summer 2022–23 in November and December, it featured a heap of Christmas fare, naturally. When February hits, it'll be time for love — whether you're heading along with a date or mate. Surrounding both Valentine's Day and Galentine's Day — yes, Leslie Knope would be proud — Moonlight Cinema's just-revealed February program includes a week of romantic pictures spanning new and classic titles. Magic Mike's Last Dance will get a whirl, as will the Lily James (Pam & Tommy)-starring What's Love Got to Do With It. And, if you're fond of movie blasts from the past, perennial favourites 10 Things I Hate About You, The Notebook and Muriel's Wedding are also on the bill, as are the Julia Roberts-led Notting Hill and Pretty Woman. Other highlights include Australian favourites The Castle and Strictly Ballroom among the other retro titles — the latter, from Baz Luhrmann, also getting romantic — as well as repeat sessions of A Man Called Otto, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody and Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre. Because the exact roster varies per city — and because Brisbane and Adelaide's season wraps up mid-February — some venues will also get treated to creepy doll thriller M3GAN, plus sneak-peek sessions of the cinema-loving, Olivia Colman-starring Empire of Light and Bill Nighy drama Living. As always, one piece of advice bears repeating: pack your picnic basket and get ready to watch a heap of flicks under the summer evening sky. Nosh-wise, Moonlight Cinema is letting you bring BYO movie snacks and drinks (no alcohol in Brisbane, though), but the unorganised can also enjoy a plethora of bites to eat from food trucks — perfect, messy treats made for reclining on bean beds. There's also a VIP section for an extra-luxe openair movie experience, a beauty cart handing out samples, and dogs are welcome at all sites except Perth — and there's even special doggo bean beds, and a snack menu for pooches. And, on Sundays in February, Moonlight Cinema will host a Singleton Whisky cart in Melbourne and Sydney. MOONLIGHT CINEMA 2022–23 DATES Brisbane: Thursday, November 24–Sunday, February 19 in Roma Street Parkland Sydney: Thursday, November 24–Sunday, March 26 in Centennial Park Perth: Friday, November 25–Sunday, March 26 in Kings Park and Botanic Garden Adelaide: Thursday, December 1–Sunday, February 19 in Botanic Park Melbourne: Thursday, December 1–Sunday, March 26 in Royal Botanic Gardens Moonlight Cinema runs through until March 2023, with dates varying per city. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the cinema's website — and we'll update you with further program details when they're announced.
Keen on chasing an endless winter, jet-setting to Switzerland's top slopes, and getting there in the most direct way possible? There's an airline for that. Because there's no niche too small these days, Europe now has a carrier dedicated to snow sports in the Swiss Alps. Due to fly its first passengers in December this year, Powdair will make its home base in Sion in the Valais region, near the Swiss resorts of Verbier, Saas-Fee, Crans-Montana, Zermatt and Nendaz. It'll connect to eight European airports, ferrying eager snow lovers from London Luton, London Southend, Bristol, Manchester and Southampton in Britain; Edinburgh in Scotland; Hamburg in Germany; and Antwerp in Belgium, straight to the heart of Switzerland's frosty playground. In an attempt to become the go-to airline for Swiss-venturing snow spots fans, Powdair also boasts free equipment carriage; yep, your skis and snowboard won't be classed as oversized baggage here. They'll also be offering season discounts for eager skiers. And, while their first routes are all focused on making the most of the icy weather, should they prove a hit, the startup plans to offer summer jaunts too — in case you'd like to check out the Alps in greener circumstances. Via: The Independent. Image: Aletsch Arena.
With Christmas Day, and the many traditions and festivities that come with it just over the horizon, it's almost time to rearrange the furniture and set aside some space for the beloved Christmas tree. The Christmas tree has origins which most often date back as far as the renaissance in Germany, however there are many contested theories of origins preceding this. Although the traditional christmas tree is generally considered to be an evergreen conifer, many alternative designs have been created throughout history. The first artificial tree was also introduced in Germany, in the 19th Century. It has a rich history and has long been viewed as one of the most important and globally widespread symbols of Christmas. Not only loved for its aesthetic value with a vast amount of decorations decking out its branches from top to toe, the Christmas tree also perpetuates the buildup towards Christmas throughout December, and of course it is also the cause of extreme excitement for kids as the host of Santa's treasured christmas presents. Since then a plethora of artificial trees have been created, meeting the different needs of various times. And of course one of the most pressing issues in the modern era is sustainability. Enter the eco-friendly christmas tree, One Two Tree. The One Two Tree's branches rotating around its central trunk, which lets you change the design each year. The wood comes from plantation pine in Queensland. This environmentally sustainable, reusable tree is an eco friendly way to enjoy your christmas with a modern twist, and a great way to test your creativity with its endless possibilities for presentation. Via Inhabitat.
It's been over a decade since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 reached cinema screens, wrapping up the big-screen story about a certain Boy Who Lived. But, to the delight of wannabe wizards and witches everywhere, the franchise hasn't faded away. The Fantastic Beasts films have kept it alive in cinemas, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has done the same on the stage. Also, Harry Potter events have been a common occurrence, and dedicated stores sling merchandise related to the saga. For a few years, another addition to the wizarding realm has been rumoured: a TV series. There was a reunion special for the movies back in 2022, to celebrate ten years since they concluded, but word has persisted that all things HP would eventually accio up a spot on streaming. Those reports are swirling again, with Bloomberg breaking the news that a deal is apparently close. Also, it revealed that said show would remake the story that everyone has already seen on the big screen, with each season focusing on a different book. The details are still scarce, however, and nothing has been officially confirmed. So, who it'll star, who'll be guiding it behind the scenes and when it'll release are all obviously yet to be announced. That said, the idea is that HBO Max, the channel's streaming service, and Warner Bros would make a show that can go further in-depth into each of the novel's storylines — because movies can only cover so much. That means a return to Hogwarts, and obviously new faces playing Harry, Hermione, Ron and company. This is really a case of when, not if. The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe have all made the leap to streaming, after all. And no huge pop culture phenomenon ever truly disappears these days, so the Harry Potter realm is bound to reappear — if not with this project, then something else down the line. There's clearly no trailer for this Harry Potter series as yet, but you can check out the trailer for the very first film below: The Harry Potter TV series doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you if and when more details are announced. Via Bloomberg.
The giggliest time of the year is back this month, as the Melbourne International Comedy Festival kicks off its 2023 instalment in a blaze of witty punchlines. Descending on the city from Wednesday, March 29–Sunday, April 23, this year's fest is set to serve up more than 600 shows, guaranteeing a huge month of laughs. The fun kicks off with the famed Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow, this year hosted by the internationally acclaimed Hannah Gadsby at the Palais Theatre and featuring a jam-packed lineup of hilarious guests. Other big-ticket highlights to follow include the national grand final of esteemed open mic competition RAW Comedy; Upfront's one-night showcase of stereotype-smashing female and non-binary comics; and the Deadly Funny National Grand Final, which is set to spotlight the country's funniest First Nations talent. As always, MICF will see comedic heroes flying in from all corners of the globe, taking the stage for sidesplitting solo shows and special events alike. Among them are celebrated British stars like Paul Foot, Carl Donnelly, Josie Long and Rosie Jones, plus Irish funnymen David O'Doherty and Dylan Moran, Emmy Award-winning US stand-up artist Sara Schaefer, Icelandic icon Ari Edljárn and Glasgow's Larry Dean. Homegrown heroes pack out the program, with big-name guests aplenty — Tripod, Claire Hooper, Lawrence Mooney, Kirsty Webeck, Wil Anderson, Akmal, Rhys Nicholson and Alex Ward are all there, along with the likes of Lano & Woodley, Dilruk Jayasinha, Osher Günsberg doing Night Time News Network National News, Dave Thornton, Diana Nguyen and stacks more. Of course, the rising stars of Aussie comedy will also get a huge look-in across the month, with MICF offering loads of opportunity for punters to scout out fresh talent. Check out the next generation of comic geniuses with a show at Comedy Zone, or stick closer to home and get your comedy kicks at one of the famed Neighbourhood Sessions. Meanwhile, Best of Comedy Zone Asia will deliver a lineup of emerging and celebrated talent from across Malaysia, India, Singapore and more. And, Headliners is set to dish up a hilarious taste of the US comedy circuit, featuring The Lucas Brothers, Patti Harrison, Sheng Wang and Shalewa Sharpe. [caption id="attachment_849381" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jim Lee[/caption] Melbourne International Comedy Festival will take over venues across the city from Wednesday, March 29–Sunday, April 23. See the full program and grab tickets over at the website. Top image: Jim Lee.
The Back to the Future franchise has pinned this decade all too well. In the next development of unbelievably futuristic sounding technology, Google-backed company Kitty Hawk released the first video footage of its flying car prototype yesterday, April 24. Yeah, Doc Brown's Delorean just got real. The company is financially backed by Google co-founder Larry Page and its chief executive Sebastian Thrun, is the founder of Google's 'semi-secret' X lab and a pioneer of the self-driving car. The 'Kitty Hawk Flyer' is described as an "all-electric aircraft" designed to operate over water. The open-seated, 220-pound single seater is powered by eight battery-powered propellers — it essentially resembles a mix between a jetski and a hoverboard, seemingly powered by what looks like a bunch of mini-drones. It will not require a pilot's license to fly, as it is considered an "ultralight aircraft" by FAA regulations, and Kitty Hawk claims drivers will be able to learn how to operate the vehicle "in minutes". Here's the just-dropped intro video, with requisite cheesy inspirational music and somewhat shitty acting: The company is trying to attract enthusiasts to test-drive the vehicle by offering a $100 three-year membership that includes waiting list priority, company-branded gear, flight simulator access and invites to company events and demonstrations. Members will also get a $2000 discount once the car does go to retail. Kitty Hawk is not the first company to attempt the flying car feat, with the Slovakian company AeroMobil making their flying vehicle available for pre-order by the end of 2017 and the aerospace firm Airbus releasing plans for its ground-air hybrid car at the Geneva International Motor Show last month. The government of Dubai, in partnership with a Chinese firm, EHang has also released plans to begin operating flying taxis by July 2017 and Uber is holding a conference in Texas on Tuesday to discuss details of their own "urban-air transportation" vehicle. Though the car is said to be in consumer production by the end of the year, no retail price has been given yet. As of now, the vehicle will only be shipped within the US, so Australians will have to wait a bit longer for a ride. Via The New York Times.
2024's working year might've only just begun, but it's already time to book in a big overseas holiday. Put in that leave request ASAP. Block out your calendar. Bust out your suitcase, too, and make sure your passport is up to date. Your destination: the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, because Coachella is back for 2024 with a characteristically impressive roster of acts. Mark Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 14 and Friday, April April 19–Sunday, April 21 in your diaries — including if you you're just keen to check out the livestream. (Remember, Coachella was livestreaming its sets long before the pandemic.) The full bill is a jaw-dropper, as usual, with Lana Del Rey headlining the Friday nights, Tyler, The Creator doing the Saturday nights and Doja Cat on Sunday nights. Also, the reunited No Doubt are on the bill, but without a set day so far. Also hitting the stage: a stacked array of acts that also spans everyone from Blur, Ice Spice, J Balvin and Peso Pluma to Sabrina Carpenter, Grimes, Lil Yachty and Flight Facilities. Whether you're after new tunes, the biggest music names right now or dripping nostalgia, it's on offer at Coachella 2024. Anyway, let's be honest, you haven't truly read any of those words — you'll be wanting this: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) For music lovers planning to watch along from home, Coachella will once again team up with YouTube to livestream the festival. That's no longer such a novelty in these pandemic times but, given the calibre of Coachella's lineup, it's still a mighty fine way to spend a weekend. For those eager to attend in-person, you can signup for access to tickets over at the festival's website — with pre-sales starting at 11am PT on Friday, January 19 (aka 5am AEST/6am AEDT on Saturday, January 20). At the time of writing, the festival advises that best bet for passes is the second weekend. Coachella 2024 runs from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 14 and Friday, April April 19–Sunday, April 21 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Find out more information and register for tickets at coachella.com — with pre-sales starting at 11am PT on Friday, January 19 (aka 5am AEST/6am AEDT on Saturday, January 20). Top image: Casey via Wikimedia Commons.
"The grid. A digital frontier. I tried to picture clusters of information as they moved through the computer. What did they look like? Ships? Motorcycles? Were the circuits like freeways? I kept dreaming of a world I thought I'd never see. And then one day, I got in." If you've watched 1982's TRON and its 28-years-later sequel TRON: Legacy in 2010, or listened to the latter's sublime Daft Punk-scored soundtrack, then you've heard those words. But what if everything that Jeff Bridges (The Old Man) describes as Kevin Flynn wasn't relegated to the virtual realm? In TRON: Ares, viewers will watch what happens when the program that shares the movie's moniker makes the jump from the digital space to the real world, giving humanity its first encounter with AI beings. Indeed, amid its heavy lashings of laser-red hues, the just-dropped first trailer for the feature has a monster-movie vibe when worlds start to collide. Flesh-and-blood folks such as Greta Lee (The Studio) stare up, then start fleeing. While things happen quickly in the digital realm, films about it clearly don't always earn the same description, given that it has now been over four decades since the first TRON film made its way to cinemas, and 15 years since its first sequel. A third movie was announced the very same year that TRON: Legacy released, in fact, but TRON: Ares has taken time to return cinemagoers to the grid. For much of the past decade and a half, it's been one of those pictures in the "I'll believe it when I'm actually sitting in a theatre watching it with my own eyes" category, until Disney not only announced that the feature had a date with picture palaces in 2025, but also dropped a first image from it. The date that you can see the next TRON on the big screen: Thursday, October 9, 2025 Down Under. Cast-wise, Jared Leto (Haunted Mansion) plays Ares, aka the threatening face of AI. Bridges is also back as the software-company employee who first found himself in the digital world in the initial flick. Evan Peters (Agatha All Along), Hasan Minhaj (It Ends with Us), Jodie Turner-Smith (The Agency), Arturo Castro (The Vince Staples Show), Cameron Monaghan (Shameless) and Gillian Anderson (Sex Education) co-star in TRON: Ares, while Joachim Rønning (Young Woman and the Sea) directs. Following on from Daft Punk's masterpiece of a score for TRON: Legacy was always going to be a tough feat, but TRON: Ares isn't skimping on musical talent. Doing the honours, as heard in the feature's first trailer: Nine Inch Nails, adding to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' run of film work (see also: Soul, Mank, Bones and All, Empire of Light, The Killer, Challengers, Queer and The Franchise just in the 2020s alone). Check out the first trailer for TRON: Ares below: TRON: Ares releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 9, 2025. Images: courtesy of DIsney. © 2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Google's glasses may be set to bring our eyes back up from the tiny screen, but until then we're happily on the path towards having a permanent earthbound gaze. It is no wonder then that our love for the portable, digital universe has caught the imagination of publishers seeking to enhance the quality of our heads-down attention. Enter Branches Publishing and their freshly sprouted, digital-only anthology of new Australian writing, Cuttings. Having budded from arts app composers The Nest, Branches Publishing launches with a well-designed experience for electronic letter lovers. Cuttings Issue Zero is now available for free on Apple and Android tablets and what you'll download is a time capsule about Australian life in 2013. Editors Angela Bennetts and Alice Fenton (of Even Books) have ensured that this memorial contains the right balance of humour and solemnity from a local suite of talented posteritists*, all presented with wit by senior designer Dave Fernandes. Every work in Issue Zero is shorter than a Borges and kept to its own page (there will be longer pieces from Issue One onwards in May), which is great news for the scrambled brains of overloaded content junkies. Some pieces are presented as contemporary artefacts, such as Sophie Braham's '2012 Job Description', which efficiently captures the plight of every 20/30-something in a 20km radius. Other works act as framing text for a series of curated hyperlinks — Wilfred Brandt's hypothesis of skateboarding as alien technology and Steph Harmon's historiography of dog fashion both succeed as tap-and-swipe pecha kucha equivalents. A result of these short pieces occupying their own pages is that your reading slows down. Your eyes will not melt from the fatigue of gleaning conversation pieces out of cluttered content sewers, and in turn you'll calm down enough to actually meditate on the world observed by Cuttings' contributors. This is a world populated by M.B. Windle's graphic epiphany about Hollywood's lies, Tessa Lunney's nostalgic dancers, and Max Lavergne's suggestion of what might happen should a savvy Mexican girl be dropped into the West Bank. Fernandes and the contributing illustrators and photographers have equally crafted something poetic. Cuttings is attractive in both landscape and portrait, and each piece is augmented by an interface design that reminds readers that they're looking at a tablet and not a print article with some hyperlinks. Two lovely visual effects pop up, for example, in A.H. Cayley's meditation on how ineffectual jacarandas are as barometers, and in Cleo Braithwaite's sketch of impending feline dominion. One slight tarnish is that as several of the articles are hyperlink-enhanced, you will need an active internet connection on your tablet to gain the full experience of Cuttings. Though copyright does make it difficult to include certain things in the downloaded content — such as a Taylor Swift video clip — Matt Roden's fantastic illustrations are bundled with the issue and pop up within the body of his words with an elegance that could ideally appear throughout the whole publication. That said, Cuttings has launched with an auspicious debut and stands to only gain in quality as it opens its submissions to a horde of head-bowed Australian talent. *this will be a real word when the time capsule is unearthed
It's been a huge few weeks for Australian tour news — Kraftwerk! Meredith! Strawberry Fields! This That! Summer Camp! Paul McCartney! Harvest Rock! Pendulum! Flight Facilities! Weezer! Beyond The Valley! Field Day! Bluesfest! — but only one big announcement can whip it, whip it good. When Good Things returns for 2023, it'll hit Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with new-wave icons Devo on the bill. The 'Girl U Want' band will be celebrating 50 years since first forming in 1973, and also saying goodbye on a farewell tour that'll mark their last-ever Australian shows. Devo's famous energy dome hats will be on display at Centennial Park, Flemington Racecourse and Brisbane Showgrounds this December, on a jam-packed Good Things lineup that is brimming with nostalgia-inducing acts — including Fall Out Boy. A day after teasing that they were heading Down Under, the group behind 'Sugar, We're Goin Down' and 'Uma Thurman' have been confirmed as festival headliners, playing both tunes dating back to their 2000s heyday and recent tracks. From there, Good Things keeps rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin' with Limp Bizkit; will see Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor hit the stage solo; and is guaranteed to burst with punk energy thanks to Pennywise. Bullet for My Valentine, Taking Back Sunday and I Prevail are also on the bill, plus Enter Shikari, Pvris, Behemoth and Sepultura. Fresh from featuring a reunited TISM in 2022, Good Things boasts a packed roster of local names in 2023, too, celebrating Australian alternative rock with Spiderbait, Frenzal Rhomb, Jebediah and Eskimo Joe. On both the international and homegrown front, the list goes on, including Hanabie, While She Sleeps, Magnolia Park, Short Stack, Boom Crash Opera, Luca Brasi and more. And yes, this is a fest where you can likely hear 'Whip It', 'Dance, Dance', 'Society' and 'Buy Me a Pony' live on the same day, plus 'The Last Fight', 'Leaving Home', 'Punch in the Face' and a very non-George Michael cover of 'Faith' as well. GOOD THINGS 2023 LINEUP: Fall Out Boy Limp Bizkit Devo (The Farewell Tour celebrating 50 years) I Prevail Bullet For My Valentine Corey Taylor Pennywise Spiderbait Slowly Slowly Enter Shikari Behemoth Sepultura Taking Back Sunday PVRIS Bloom Boom Crash Opera Eskimo Joe Frenzal Rhomb Hanabie Jebediah Luca Brasi Magnolia Park Make Them Suffer Ocean Sleeper Royal & The Serpent Short Stack Slaughter To Prevail Stand Atlantic Tapestry The Plot In You While She Sleeps GOOD THINGS 2023 DATES: Friday, December 1 — Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne Saturday, December 2 — Centennial Park, Sydney Sunday, December 3 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane Good Things will hit the Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in December 2023. Pre-sale tickets go on sale from 10am, Tuesday, August 22, and general sales from 10am on Thursday, August 24. Head to the festival website for more info and to register for pre-sales. Top image: swimfinfan via Wikimedia Commons.
Head into Lune Croissanterie's Melbourne and Brisbane stores any day of the week, and world-famous pastries await. Also on the menu: limited-time treats that you'll need to be speedy to enjoy. Usually, the Kate Reid co-founded chain swaps out its specials monthly; however, it also likes dropping particularly coveted bites for certain occasions. One such instance: the return of its apple pie twice-baked croissants just for Father's Day. Lune hasn't dropped its full range of September specials at the time of writing, but it has revealed that this one pastry will be back between Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3 only. Vying to become your dad's favourite? Best your siblings by grabbing him one of these rarities. Fancy one (or more) for yourself? That's 100-percent acceptable as well. The apple pie twice-baked croissants are making a comeback for the first time in years — since Lune was in Elwood in Melbourne, in fact. These days, the chain has sites in Fitzroy, the CBD and Armadale in the Victorian capital, plus South Brisbane and Burnett Lane in Brisbane. (Not one but two Sydney venues are in their works, but not in time for Father's Day). What is an apple pie twice-baked croissant? It's a croissant, obviously, with apple purée and hazelnut frangipane as fillings — and apple pie filling itself, too. Then, on top, it features hazelnut frangipane and hazelnuts, plus whipped cream and coconut streusel. Sadly, if your dad isn't able to eat nuts, or you aren't, you'll need to give it a miss. Lune expects the special to be particularly popular, and recommends arriving early across the apple pie twice-baked croissant's three-day window. You can collect it at all stores for $15 per croissant — and it's an in-store only bite, so it won't be available to order online. [caption id="attachment_735740" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josie Withers, Visit Victoria.[/caption] Lune's apple pie twice-baked croissants are available from all stores — Fitzroy, the CBD and Armadale in Melbourne, and South Brisbane and Burnett Lane in Brisbane — for $15 from Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3 only. Images: Peter Dillon.
2015 isn't the only thing coming to an end this month. It has only been six months since the Red Hill Markets started trading, but they're calling it a day. That's right — one of Brisbane's newest weekend browsing spots is about to become one of its shortest lived. This development is a result of, well, development, as is often the case. The Ithaca TAFE campus on Fulcher Road that the markets have called home since May this year is slated for a revamp. Come January, instead of stalls selling gourmet bites to eat, fresh produce straight from the farm, and arts and crafts, you'll find a building site — and further down the track, a new training facility for the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team.T Thankfully, this not-so-good news has a silver lining as long as you're free on either of the next two Sunday mornings. That's when you can head along for your last stint of inner-west shopping — or your belated first visit, if you've been meaning to check out the markets but haven't followed through yet. Keeping an eye on the event's Facebook page is also recommended, with talk afoot of a search for a new home. Fingers crossed that this isn't a permanent goodbye, but a temporary break before the markets move elsewhere. Find the Red Hill Markets at Fulcher Road, Red Hill on December 13 and 20, or visit their website and Facebook page for more information.
When you hear the word 'aurora', there are two possible things that pop into your mind. A lot of people will be reminded of fantastical images of the Northern Lights that colour the skies of Scandinavia — they're actually making their way over the UK right now. Then again, many of us will think of nothing other than Superintendent Chalmers yelling 'aurora borealis'. And, in our books, both are satisfactory responses. But what may not cross your mind is the lesser talked about aurora australis — the Southern Lights. Equally as magical and much closer to home, this phenomenal feat of nature may be visible from Australia and New Zealand this week. This Wednesday, NASA reported a huge sun flare that is currently hurtling its way towards Earth. As the ABC report, "the blast has sheared off a few billion tons of the sun's outer layer ... [it's] heading towards Earth at a speed of about 4 million kilometres per hour". And, while this sounds completely terrifying to anyone not well-versed in science, it's apparently a pretty good thing for those watching the skies. Once they arrive at Earth, the remnants of the blast could manifest themselves as beautiful auroras. NASA's already getting a preview of the show: The hot tip so far is to head to Tasmania, and locals are on high alert. Boasting over 14,000 members, the Aurora Australis Tasmania Facebook group is in constant chatter about the best place to see the magical lights and at what time they might strike. Though no definite auroras have been reported so far, the views aren't bad at all. Magaret Sonnemann, founder of the group and published author on the topic, is showing particular faith in the light's arrival. "We haven't seen an event like this for several years and we have no idea when it might occur again," she said. Though the event is incredibly difficult to predict, it's definitely worth keeping your eyes on the sky this week. Views like this would set the bar really high for next year's Dark Mofo. Via ABC. Images: Seabird NZ, 'J', Image Editor, Jonathan Esling Photography via photopin cc.
Spending your days jetting around the world is truly the travel dream. Doing so without paying for flights? Now that's a next-level fantasy. Actually, that's the exact gift that Jetstar is giving one lucky person and their favourite travelling companion to celebrate 19 years of operation. The discount carrier is having a birthday, but it's the one handing out a present. If you're the competition's winner, you'll fill a year zooming about, although there is a limit to how much you can get soaring over the 12-month period. The chosen recipient will receive 12 domestic return flights plus six international return flights, both for two people. So, if you win, your other half / bestie / sibling is going to want to start making holiday plans, too. That equates to three holidays every two months, whether you're keen to hit up your favourite places or try somewhere new. The winner will be able to choose from 86 destinations — and, if you want to be guided by where you would've loved to visit when you were 19, that's perfectly acceptable. Before you can go in the running for the contest, which is only open to over-18s, you will need to start pondering. Jetstar has dubbed the contest 'FEEL 19 AGAIN', and entering requires you to tell the airline in 19 words or less what your absolute dream job be. The specific question: "if you could try any job for a day, what would it be and why?". And yes, plenty of people are bound to answer "travelling the world". After you direct your response to the airline's Instagram, you'll then need to wait to find out if you're chosen as a semi-finalist, which will be revealed on Thursday, June 1. Nineteen folks will get the nod — spot the theme? — and will be picked based on the most creative, funny or quirky answers. They'll then have three days (until 11.59pm on Sunday, June 4) to create and send a short video highlighting why they'd be an ace fit (the best, in fact) for the gig. Following that, Jetstar will shortlist its top entries again, whittling down the contenders. Finally, the company's social-media followers will vote on Monday, June 5. Obviously, you'll want to pick something memorable to stand out. The airline suggests ghost hunting in Adelaide and being a professional mascot in Tokyo, but you can do better than that. Jetstar's 19th-birthday ticket giveaway runs from 6am on Thursday, May 25–11.59pm on Wednesday, May 31. Head to the airline's website and Instagram for further details. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Great news, fans of LGBTQIA+ cinema: Mardi Gras Film Festival organiser Queer Screen is back with its second cinema celebration of 2023. That happens every year, but it's only been recently that the Sydney-based outfit's two fests both stream online — and nationally. So, getting cosy on the couch while watching your way through this year's Queer Screen Film Fest is 100-percent on the agenda between Wednesday, August 23–Sunday, September 3. Whether you're a Sydneysider with too heaving a social calendar to hit the picture palace in-person or you live outside of the Harbour City, a feast of new queer highlights and retrospective standouts awaits. Must-sees include the Berlin-set Drifter; the AIDS in Hollywood-focused Commitment to Life; and Equal the Contest, which follows regional women's Australian rules football team Mount Alexander Falcons in an exploration of the barriers still faced for women and gender-diverse people on the field. Gay, sapphic, and trans and gender-diverse shorts sessions are also streaming. And those retro titles? They span Anchor & Hope, about a trio's complicated relationship; German coming-of-age romance Centre of My World; rom-com Nina's Heavenly Delights, focusing on a woman reuniting with her Indian family in Scotland; and the southern Chile-set The Strong Ones.
Though we now live in an age that is mostly without skin colour-based prejudice, that wasn’t always the case. We have come a long way from segregation and discrimination but there are still lessons to be learned from the past, even if it comes in comedic form. Delectable Shelter is a “black comedy about white terror”. It looks at five fortunate survivors of the apocalypse, each of whom is privileged and white. Their plans for the future go awry when they realise they may not be the only ones to survive, and that they may be sharing the earth on equal terms with those they thought were inferior. This play is a reportedly hilarious production that takes aim at the prejudices of Western society and provides a all too real look into the future. Brought to you by The Hayloft Project and Critical Stages, Delectable Shelter is a comedy that makes you think about a serious issue. One that isn't simply black and white.
One of the best pieces of Nicolas Cage news of 2023 has come to fruition, and your 2024 must-see list is likely to benefit. Back in May, word arrived that the inimitable actor was hopping from playing himself in 2022's The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and then Dracula in this year's Renfield to becoming an Australian surfer in a film called, fittingly, The Surfer. Production has now wrapped on the movie's shoot — and the flick will land in cinemas and on streaming sometime in the future. There's no release date for Cage's Aussie stint as yet, nor a trailer, but there is a first-look image of the actor looking bloody in a car with the sun streaming in, binoculars around his neck and a bullet in his hand. Stan, which is behind the movie, has also dropped more details about the picture that adds to Cage's resume — slotting in alongside everything from crooning Elvis songs in David Lynch's Wild at Heart to having everyone see him when they slumber in Dream Scenario. [caption id="attachment_901588" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gerald Geronimo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The Surfer sadly isn't the only Point Break remake that needs to be made (forget the terrible 2015 do-over). Rather, it sees Cage star as an Australian expat returning home from America, then getting in a beach battle with a local gang of wave riders. Cage's titular character makes the trip Down Under after years in the US, only to get humiliated by other surfers in front of his teenage son. Cue a turf war, plus Cage's protagonist refusing to leave the beach. Cue the stakes escalating and the movie's namesake having his sanity tested, too. [caption id="attachment_901587" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Guillaume Paumier via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The film shot in Yallingup in Western Australia, just in the single location, with director Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium) helming and working with a script by screenwriter Thomas Martin. Featuring alongside Cage: an Aussie cast that spans Julian McMahon (FBI: Most Wanted), Nicholas Cassim (The Messenger), Miranda Tapsell (The Artful Dodger), Alexander Bertrand (Australian Gangster), Justin Rosniak (Mr Inbetween), Rahel Romahn (Here Out West), Finn Little (Yellowstone) and Charlotte Maggi (Summer Love). While we wait for the trailer for The Surfer, check out the sneak peek for Dream Scenario, Cage's next film in cinemas Down Under, below: The Surfer doesn't yet have an in-cinema or streaming release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Top image: Radek Ladczuk.
Sweden has always been renowned for its ability to build and innovate. Vikings built incredible vessels to cross the North Sea, Ikea emerged as the home of furniture and now Swedish media company Meganews has built a print-on-demand magazine kiosk in Stockholm. So next time you find yourself walking through Sweden's capital and craving Time or Sweden's popular gossip magazine Se og Hör, you can just waltz up and receive a fresh addition. Filling less then 4 square metres, the kiosk currently stocks more then 200 assorted magazines and journals in pdf form. Publishers upload the latest issue to a remote server, meaning that purchasers can access the most current issue. All they need do is select the periodical they desire via touchscreen, pay by credit card and within two minutes a newsstand-quality colour version will be printed ready for fingers to flick through. The environmental benefits are significant. With issues printed on demand rather than printed and distributed en masse, it has the potential to save forests' worth of foliage. Other benefits of the machine include the lack of space it occupies, its ability to provide access where retail space is absent and (huzzah!) no creases or torn pages from casual shop browsers. Whilst currently only residing in Stockholm, it surely will not be long before cities across the world appreciate this innovation and become populated by the kiosks. In the meantime, feel free to fly to Sweden and give it a go. Via Gizmodo.
Sometimes, we're all looking onwards, upwards and forwards because we're thinking about the future. Given how normality as everyone knows it has changed and evolved rapidly over the past couple of years, that's hardly surprising. But don't forget to look up literally, too — especially when must-see sights keep gracing the night sky. When it comes to vibrant astronomical visions, this is the latest in the space of a few short weeks, after the Lyrids meteor shower lit up the night back in April. Every autumn, the Eta Aquarids meteor shower sets the sky ablaze, too — and it's that time now. This year, the shower will be at its most spectacular early on Saturday, May 7 — very early, in fact. If you're eager to catch a glimpse, even from just your backyard or balcony, here's how. WHAT IS IT The Eta Aquarids might not be as famous as Halley's Comet, but the shower is actually a distant relation — because the bits and pieces you see flying around were on Halley's path a really, really long time ago. And, rather than only being visible every 76 years (the next Halley's Comet sighting is in 2061), the Eta Aquarids come around every year, usually between April 19–May 28 every year. The shower's name comes from the star from which they appear to come Eta Aquarii, which is part of the Aquarius constellation. So, that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. Luckily, being in the southern hemisphere, we get some of the best views in the world. On average, you can see up to 20–40 meteors per hour. [caption id="attachment_769233" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] WHEN TO SEE IT The shower will reach a peak in the early morning of Saturday, May 7, but will still be able to be seen for a few days on either side. The best time to catch an eyeful is just before dawn after the moon has set, so around 4am — but between 2am–6am is also recommended. At that time, you'll be in the running to see as many as 50 meteors every 60 minutes. Each will be moving at about 225,000 kilometres per hour, shining extraordinarily brightly and leaving a long wake. The shower's cause is, essentially, the Earth getting in the comet's way, causing stardust to fry up in the atmosphere. HOW TO SEE IT Usually, when a meteor shower lights up the sky, we'd tell city-dwellers to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the best view. If you can't venture out of town at the moment, you can still take a gander from your backyard or balcony. To help locate the shower, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky (and is a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night). If you're more into specifics, Time and Date also has a table that shows the direction and altitude of the Eta Aquarids. It has been updating this daily. The weather might get in the way of your viewing, though, depending on where you live. Melbourne is set for showers until next Monday, and Adelaide is as well until Saturday — fingers crossed that the wet weather takes a break during the early hours. It's also forecast to be wet in Brisbane until Friday, so here's hoping that any rain doesn't hang around till Saturday. In Sydney and Perth, however, sunny conditions await.
It's been a long time coming and a pretty rough road for LGBTIQ+ Australians, but same-sex marriage is set to become legal in Australia within the month. This thing is actually happening. At approximately 6pm AEST today, the House of Representatives in Federal Parliament held a final vote to finally, belatedly, once and for all, pass the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017 on its third reading. So what does this mean? To pull directly from the bill, it will officially redefine the Marriage Act 1961's definition of marriage from 'the union of a man and a woman' to the non-gendered 'union of two people'. The bill has been floating around parliament for a few weeks now. It was passed by the Senate on November 29 and has been debated in the House of Reps since Monday, November 4. Members have spent most of this week reading and discussing amendments to the bill — mostly ones related to religious freedom — of which none have been passed. To make it legal, the law needs to be ratified by the Governor-General, which could even happen this week. If all goes to plan, the ABC predicts same-sex marriages could start happening from January 8, 2018. The bill entered parliament after 61.6 percent of Aussies — that's a tidy 7,817,247 people — voted in favour same-sex marriage being legalised in the national postal vote survey. You can find a break-down of the votes for various electorates and the participation rates for different age groups on the ABS' survey results website. Cue the celebrations. We can practically hear the rainbow confetti cannons and collective cries of relief for the queer community from here (although, to be fair, our office is very close to Oxford Street). Image: Letícia Almeida.
Take heed, Deliveroo and Foodora — there's a new player in the food delivery game. And it can fly. Kicking off this week in Royalla, NSW, Google parent company Alphabet has launched a trial of its drone delivery technology Project Wing, with Guzman Y Gomez one of two local retailers testing out the goods. Over the next few trial months, the Mexican food chain will use the Project Wing drone to deliver food orders to paying customers in the area, which sits on the border of NSW and the ACT. Residents will use Wing's app to order their Guzman Y Gomez food (like burritos, mini burrito bowls and handy serves of guac and chips), which will be cooked at a custom test kitchen, picked up by the drone and delivered to the final destination in a matter of minutes, soaring through the sky at about 120 kilometres per hour. A specially engineered carry package will keep the food hot and (hopefully) intact. The Project Wing crew has been working alongside the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and both local and state governments to ensure the drones won't be causing any mid-air mishaps or dropping off any unregulated deliveries. Pharmacy chain Chemist Warehouse is the other retailer involved in this testing phase, offering drone delivery of around 100 of its products to residents in the Royalla area. If all goes to plan, the drones could be used to deliver items to Australians living on rural properties. Or just deliver lunch to your courtyard.
It's 3am, you're drunk on Mojitos and each of your limbs feels heavier than a barrel of rocks. Who wants to brush their teeth at a time like this? What would be the point anyway, since your poorly aimed joustings with a mouldy old Oral B would do little to dislodge the mint leaves hiding in your dental crevices? Enter the Blizzident 3D-printed toothbrush, a furry mouthguard that does the brushing for you — apparently all you have to do is briefly chomp on it, since it's digitally tailored to your mouth and your mouth alone. Unlike those nasty, bourgeois off-the-rack toothbrushes at the chemist. Blizzident takes the concept of the chewable toothbrush (a most bizarre, toothpaste-encrusted plastic fur ball that can be purchased for one Euro in various far-flung toilet vending machines) to the next level. Its claim is that only six seconds of chomping is required to get the results of a traditional three-minute brushing. While that six seconds will probably feel pretty awkward and counterintuitive — like eating a hair pizza? — the Blizzident could one day make even an electric toothbrush seem like too much work, and plaque a thing of the past. Even flossing and tongue-cleaning are said to be covered by this thing. Thank you, 3D printing. Check out the vid below to see a rendering of the toothbrush in action. So how do you score one? Firstly, by getting a scan of your teeth done in the same way you might've gotten a cast for a retainer once upon a time. The cast must be taken to a dental lab to be converted into a 3D file. Then upload it to Blizzident, lay down $300 and voila, the vaunted six-second clean is yours via this strange-looking contraption perfectly customised to your bod. Has it been clinically proven effective? No, not really. But we are willing to listen out for any and all solutions to our 3am Mojito mint leaf issues. Via Gizmodo.
Fancy a pre-Christmas getaway to Tokyo? Keen to visit Osaka sometime between January–September 2025? Always wanted to head to Japan during cherry blossom season? Start making plans ASAP. As the end of 2024 approaches, flight sales keep dropping — and the latest will take you on a Japanese holiday. If you were gearing up to vacation somewhere else over the next 12 months, scrap that idea, then start thinking about everything that you want to do and see in Japan (here's two ideas: teamLab's stunning digital art gallery and Studio Ghibli's very own theme park). That's the only way to react to yet another Jetstar's flight sale on fares to both Tokyo and Osaka. This isn't one of the airline's return-for-free sales, but there are 25,000-plus discounted flights on offer with prices starting at $249 one-way. Accordingly, whichever of the two cities that you decide to fly into, the Australian carrier's new special will take you there while being nicer to your bank balance. As always, you'll want to get in quickly, with the cheap fares on offer until 11.59pm AEDT on Friday, November 1, 2024, unless sold out earlier. The sale covers direct flights from Cairns, Brisbane or Sydney, plus connecting flights out of Melbourne (Tullamarine), Gold Coast and Adelaide. The cheapest price will get you from Cairns to Osaka, while Cairns to Tokyo costs $269. Brisbane fares start at $357 to Osaka and $377 to Tokyo, while Sydney's are $368 and $388 to the same cities, and Melbourne's prices are $382 and $402. The normal caveat applies, as well as the standard advice to pack light: as is usually the case with Jetstar, checked baggage is not included. Jetstar's Japan sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Friday, November 1, 2024 — unless it's sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The team behind BIGSOUND have just released the massive line-up for their 2013 Live Showcase, one of the biggest events to take place in the Fortitude Valley entertainment precinct each year. Music industry members, musicians and fans get to rub shoulders and watch some of the best up-and-coming artists in the country perform. The first live announcement revealed that the line-up would be spearheaded by the likes of Xavier Rudd, Megan Washington, The John Steel Singers, Stonefield and the Bleeding Knees Club to go along with their great range of speakers including Billy Bragg and Amanda Palmer — a great start! As the biggest festival of its kind in the southern hemisphere, BIGSOUND has a big reputation to uphold. As the self-professed SXSW of Australia, BIGSOUND has helped promote and foster Australian music since its inception 12 years ago. Well, they haven’t shamed themselves this year, as the 80-odd artists just announced are the cream of the crop of new Australian musicians. The current line-up is as follows: Xavier Rudd // Megan Washington // The John Steel Singers // Melbourne Ska Orchestra // Darren Middleton // Natalie Pa'apa'a of Blue King Brown // Gossling // The Trouble With Templeton // Yukon Blonde // The Jungle Giants // Calling All Cars // Stonefield // Chance Waters // Bleeding Knees Club // Regular John // Clubfeet // Jonti // Thelma Plum // KINGSWOOD // Dune Rats // Eagle And The Worm // Hey Geronimo // Tigertown // The Toot Toot Toots // The Griswolds // King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard // Grey Ghost // Diviney // Halfway // Spit Sydnicate // Elizabeth Rose // Dubmarine // Davey Lane // Feelings // Sheppard // The Audreys // Cub Scouts // Surecut Kids // Tales in Space // Songs // Buchanan // Citizen Kay // Cosmo's Midnight // Them Swoops // Jess Ribeiro and The Bone Collectors // Way Of The Eagle // Jeremy Neale // Little Bastard // Band of Frequencies // Lime Cordiale // Breaking Orbit // Eden Mulholland // Electric Horse // The Walking Who // Damn Terran // MT WARNING // Glass Towers // The Lazys // Bored Nothing // The Guppies // The Love Junkies // Spender // Rainy Day Women // BLOODS // JONES Jnr // Clap Clap Riot // Gay Paris // SHE REX // Money For Rope // Lanterns // The Starry Field // Patrick James // Simone and Girlfunkle // Bec and Ben // Sidney York // Mining Boom // Your Favorite Enemies // Fun Machine // The Peep Tempel // The Orbweavers // Bed Wettin' Bad Boys // Saidah Babah Talibah // Good Oak // Tkay Maidza // Clowns // Two Cartoons // Born Lion // Zeahorse // Mr Cassidy // Ride Into The Sun // The Sinking Teeth // Karl S. Williams // The Demon Parade // Slip-on Stereo // Willow // New Brutalists // Mustered Courage And, get this: there are still more artists to be announced. Festival passes can be purchased via Oztix. If you live in Brisbane and enjoy good music, go to this.
Everyone knows Batman is the best superhero. Superman and Captain America are too pristine and dull, Spiderman whines a lot and had an unfortunate stint as an emo kid in 2007. And though Robert Downey Jr is nearly enough to sway me on side with Iron Man, he just can't beat the brooding growl and moral complexity of the Dark Knight. As such it's no surprise that Batman fanatics are a particularly passionate breed. But what one of them has done now will truly baffle you. Zac Mihajlovic, a die-hard fan from Sydney, has spent two years creating a custom-made Batmobile. As a replica of the 1989 model used in Tim Burton's classically cartoonish Batman films, the six-metre-long chassis had to be custom built — its body panels were actually spares from the original set that were imported from the US. Completed with such skill and dedication, the resulting masterpiece was actually deemed roadworthy. Zac's been driving it around for the last few years, quickly racking up street cred as either the coolest or nerdiest man in the country (depending on your allegiances to commemorative geek memorabilia). Now, to mark the 25th anniversary of Tim Burton's original film, this absolute champion is renting out his ride to Sydney residents via Groupon. (We're not going to be offended if you immediately leave us for that link). For $250 you can experience 20 minutes in the passenger seat, or $2,500 will get you 'The Gotham Package' — a four-hour joyride with ten friends. To put this experience in perspective, this is the only Batmobile in existence in the Southern Hemisphere besides a prop at Movie World. Between 10-12 are believed to be around elsewhere, but Zac believes his is the only one with legit street registration. The creator himself has only taken it out casually a few times (because of the huge fuss it creates), and it's been predominantly utilised for kids in the Make-A-Wish foundation. Honestly, I don't even know why you're still reading this. Book it. Now. If you're not in Sydney, or don't have $250 lying around for joyrides in fictional cars that have magically manifested themselves into reality — not everyone can be as loaded as Bruce Wayne — then you'll have to settle for some mopey internet stalking instead. The rest of Zac's work/his life in general is totally worth checking out. Under the moniker of Batmobile Australia, he rents his Batmobile for weddings and conventions, and also shows off his accompanying Batbike and Batsuit. It's entertaining to flip through, but browser beware: it will dwarf every accomplishment in your own life. As for everyone else, this is your opportunity. You can be the hero Sydney deserves, but not the one it needs right now. You'll be hunted, but you can take it. Because you're not a hero. You're a silent guardian. A watchful protector. A Dark Knight. This offer expires Sunday, June 22 so get in quick. Via Gizmodo.
Besides the lamington, fairy bread and the democracy sausage, the humble meat pie is as close to a national dish as Australia can claim. With an obligatory slather of ketchup, the classic Four and Twenty is a faithful hunger buster at the footy, but chefs across the country have also sought to elevate this faithful snack, lofting it from simple grab-and-go grub to a thing of culinary beauty. To celebrate this gourmet glow-up, The Great Aussie Pie Competition, now in its 35th year, searches the country for pie perfection. At an event held in Melbourne between September 2–5, over 1500 pies vied for the title of Australia's best as 16 of the nation's "most dedicated pie connoisseurs" considered the colour, flavour, size, pastry and finesse of the meat-filled morsels in the running. In addition to bragging rights and eternal glory, competing bakers were also battling it out for more than $30,000 worth of prize money spread across the competition's various categories. Much to the delight of the local crowd, Victoria's Buddy's Bakery in Melton took out the top spot in the coveted Best Plain Meat Pie category, beating Four Seasons Patisserie and Bakery in High Wycombe, WA, which took home the sliver. However, Western Australians still have plenty to be proud of, with the state racking up the most awards with a haul of seven gongs including a win for Four Seasons Patisserie and Bakery in the Best Apple Pie category. In addition to the top honours, Victoria earned another four awards, while New South Wales took home four awards, including Best Gourmet Sausage Roll, Best Slow Cooked BBQ Pie, Best Vegan or Vegetarian Pie and Best Gluten-Free Pie. Meanwhile, South Australia took home three awards and Queensland, just a single laurel. The Winners of The Great Aussie Pie Competition Plain Meat Pie: Buddy Bakery in Melton, Vic. Runner-up: Four Seasons Patisserie & Bakery in High Wycombe, WA Gourmet Pie: Jack's Bakery in Halls Head, WA Plain Sausage Roll: Orange Spot Bakery in Glenelg, SA Gourmet Sausage Roll: Orange Pie Company in Orange, NSW Pastie: Orange Spot Bakery in Glenelg, SA Tom Lindsay Pepper Steak Pie Award: Country Cob Bakery in Springvale, Vic Apprentice Category (Pepper Steak Pie): Sam Anderson from Rolling Pin Pies & Cakes in Ocean Grove, Vic Shepherd's / Potato Top Pie: Jack's Bakery in Halls Head, WA Slow Cooked BBQ Pie: Forster Bakehouse in Forster, NSW Game Pie: Paradise Bakehouse in Bundaberg, Qld Poultry Pie: Country Cob Bakery in Springvale, Vic Red Meat Pie: Jack's Bakery in Halls Head, WA Vegetarian/Vegan Pie: Forster Bakehouse in Forster, NSW Pork Pie: Four Seasons Patisserie & Bakery in High Wycombe, WA Seafood Pie: The Little Red Grape in Sevenhill, SA Apple Pie: Four Seasons Patisserie & Bakery in High Wycombe, WA Brekkie Pie: Jack's Bakery in Halls Head, WA Gluten Free Pie: Heatherbrae Pies Ourimbah in Ourimbah, NSW Gluten Free Sausage Roll: Jojo's Gluten Free Goodies in Kernot, Vic For a full list of all the nominated bakeries and their placings, visit The Great Aussie Pie Competition website. Top image: Jelleke Vanooteghem
With the fast approaching tour dates for iconic '90s pop groups, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, Hanson, Wheatus, S Club, Big Brovaz and Eiffel 65 (I'm blue da ba de dab a die), it is now completely undeniable that 2012 will be remembered throughout history as none other than the year of '90s music revival. The Venga Bus came and went, just as Aqua has been and gone. But, it seems as one group leaves, another jumps on the Aussie touring bandwagon. You can't sit dwelling in your hip modern residence forever. Embrace the time where it was cool to not be cool. Forget our technological advances, political debacles and ferocious weather. Australia has seen/is awaiting some of the world's greatest manufactured bands to take us back to the decade that actually welcomed the fashion of flair jeans and a large percentage of the population questioned who that bastard was that 'let the dogs out'. It was common to say mega to the start of every saying, shout NOT at the end of every sentence and no matter how terrible things would seem, the world would always be 'all good'. There's no use fighting the urge to whip out your old Pepsi Charts CDs and embrace the shitness that once was the music industry. Let us respect those that were kicking about before 1D had left the crib and accept the return of the '90s music revolution.
The mornings have lost their icy chill. The weekends are getting sunnier. And — if you're like us — you might be feeling a little sluggish from all that raclette and cheese-wheel pasta and binge-watching Stranger Things 2. So, now's the perfect time to dust off your runners, get outside and start training. Keen to conquer your first fun run? Determined to beat those City2Surf hills that took the wind out of you this winter? Upping the stakes from a half- to a full-marathon? We've teamed up with Hahn to track down the most picturesque running locations in your city. Whether it's a waterside run in the CBD or a rainforest trail a short drive away, we've found it. And because we all need a little motivation to get those hearts pounding and those legs moving, we've also picked the best pub nearby to cooldown with a post-run beer. Balance is key. SYDNEY CBD: MRS MACQUARIE'S CHAIR THEN OPERA BAR Smack bang in the centre of the CBD is one of Sydney's most picturesque runs. Start in the Domain, jog up to Mrs Macquarie's Chair and continue around the sparkling harbour to the Sydney Opera House. Stop to take a photo (because how else can you prove you've been for a run if you don't document it on social media?) and continue around Circular Quay to The Rocks. If you're feeling extra active, we suggest running across the Harbour Bridge — the views alone make it worth the extra kilometre. When you're done, head back to Opera Bar for a cold pint. The best part? You can easily fit this run into your lunch break. SYDNEY FURTHER AFIELD: SPIT BRIDGE TO MANLY THEN HOTEL STEYNE If you, like many Sydneysiders, have jogged the Bondi to Bronte path a few (hundred) times, you're probably looking for somewhere less populated, but equally photogenic to visit. Look no further than the Spit Bridge to Manly trail. The 10-kilometre trek takes runners through the Sydney Harbour National Park, past small beaches and inlets and up high with elevated views over the city. If you stray off the track, you may run into Crater Cove's historic (and hidden) 80-year-old cabins. A word of warning: it's a hilly run (with more than a few steps) so we suggest packing plenty of water, a camera and your credit card, and heading toward the waterside Hotel Steyne for a cooldown dip and icy pint when you finish. MELBOURNE CBD: YARRA TRAILS THEN FORESTER'S The Main Yarra Trail, which runs from the northeast suburb of Eltham to Southbank, is a cool 33 kilometres. If you're up to this stage in your training, great — tie up those laces, slap on that Garmin and start jogging — but, if the thought of running that far fills you with dizzying, nauseating dread (we feel it), fret not. The Yarra Trails encompass a range of different length runs for different levels of fitness. Head to the lush Yarra Bend Park, a short ten-minute drive from the CBD, and pick your distance. You can head off on a quick one-kilometre jog around the oval or a seven-kilometre loop past Dight Falls. When you've finished, walk (or run) across to Forester's Beer & Music Hall for a pint and a parma (hot tip: the pub offers $5 parmas every night from 5–10pm). MELBOURNE FURTHER AFIELD: BLACK ROCK TO BRIGHTON THEN HALF MOON Black Rock may only be a 30-minute drive from the city, but its isolated location and stunning views over Port Philip Bay make it feel much further away. It's also the perfect place to go for an early morning run. Start the ten-kilometre track at the Black Rock Yacht Club, pass the Red Bluff Lookout, do some sand sprints on Hampton Beach and end at Brighton Beach's 82 colourful bathing boxes. If you're looking to extend your run, continue up the coast to Elwood beach or even further to St Kilda Pier. Once you're done, head back to Half Moon in Brighton. The rustic pub boasts six different dining areas where you can unwind with a pint. [caption id="attachment_593141" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies.[/caption] BRISBANE CBD: THE RIVER LOOP THEN THE CHARMING SQUIRE A waterside jog isn't a bad way to spend a lunch break, especially when it's right in the middle of the CBD. How far you want to run is up to you, but we recommend kicking off on the southern side of Goodwill Bridge. After something short and sweet? Jog down to Victoria Bridge, over and back for a 3.5-kilometre loop. Something a bit longer? Head the opposite way to Story Bridge for a 6.5-kilometre loop. Getting close to completing a marathon? Look to the 35-kilometre Brisbane River Loop. It follows the river from South Bank all the way to Indooroopilly and back. When you're done The Charming Squire is serving up brews and views, waterside. BRISBANE FURTHER AFIELD: MOUNT COOT-THA THEN SUMMIT RESTAURANT & BAR Half-an-hour drive from Brisbane's CBD is Mount Coot-tha Forest — 1500 hectares of lush eucalypt forest. Inside this reservation, you'll find a heap of different running tracks. While the Brisbane City Council gives a full rundown of all your options here, these are a couple of our favourites. The Summit Track, a four-kilometre round loop, takes you from JC Slaughter Falls picnic area to Mount Coot-tha Lookout. It's a steep run up, but you'll be rewarded with an easy jog downhill on the way back. If you're more ambitious, there's a ten-kilometre loop that starts at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, heads across to the lookout, then follows Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, through the trees and back to the starting point. Since you survived, you deserve a beer and Summit Restaurant & Bar (next to the lookout) has some chilled for you. Top image: Brooke James Get outside and on a run now — there's an ice cold Hahn waiting for you at the end.
You've filled your house with its minimalist designs and homewares, and dreamed of living in its flat-pack homes and tiny pre-fab huts as well. MUJI fans, your love affair with the Japanese home goods giant isn't over yet. First announced in 2017, the retailer has been opening its own range of hotels — and while sites in Shenzhen and Beijing in China are already welcoming guests, the brand's Tokyo abode now has a launch date. Come April 4, 2019, you'll be able to check into MUJI's very own Ginza site, aka MUJI Hotel Ginza. The company's first Japanese hotel, it'll be located in the same spot as its new flagship store. The shop will take up seven floors from the basement upwards, the hotel reception will be situated on level six, and 79 guest rooms will be spread across levels seven to ten. A diner, which'll be open to the public, will also make its home in the basement. MUJI fans, and anyone looking for somewhere different to stay in one of Tokyo's busiest districts, can expect the retailer's usual minimalist aesthetic — think recycled wooden interiors and spaces filled with plenty of the brand's furniture. The company describes it as "anti-gorgeous, anti-cheap", which fits in with its overall practical but quality vibe, with the concept and interior design managed by MUJI-owning company Ryohin Keikaku. The site will also feature the multi-purpose Atelier MUJI Ginza, a space on the sixth floor that's all about design and culture. Between shopping for MUJI goods and slumbering in a MUJI bed, guests can wander through two galleries that'll feature craft and design exhibitions, grab a drink in the salon, and peruse arts-related books in the library. There'll also be a lounge where MUJI will host regular events and workshops. Image: Mitsui Fudosan Co Ltd.
Secure yourself one of the best views in town this New Year's Eve and head to a rooftop overlooking Brisbane River, where the magic will be happening for this year's fireworks. W Brisbane's WET Deck is hosting a tropical-themed Tutti Frutti NYE Party, kicking off at 8pm, and is the place to be when you enter into a new decade. Early bird tickets are available for $35, which includes a cheeky Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial champagne spritzer on arrival. Local DJ Jack Wood will be spinning modern and classic house jams to get the party started, before Just Kait steps behind the decks, keeping you glued to the dance floor from 10pm into the early hours of the new year. The bar will be slinging plenty of celebratory bubbles, plus other fruity tipples. To keep you fuelled, the kitchen will be serving up some tropical barbecue fare — think king prawns with lime, pineapple and coriander salsa. To make sure you have some of the best seats in the house, you can book a private table with bottle service for up to eight people. There's a cool $1000 minimum spend on food and drinks, which, let's face it, you and your mates will probably spend anyway. Secure your early bird ticket here, as tickets go up to $55 on the door. For table reservations call (07) 3556 8888 or email bfreservations@whotels.com
What had Jamie Lee Curtis yelling about how she's now an Oscar-winner? An adorable donkey? Too many jokes about Will Smith? What also saw two Encino Man stars nab acting trophies, a massive seven wins for Everything Everywhere All At Once, and plenty of history being made? Hollywood's 2023 night of nights, that's what — which has just rolled out its red carpets, held its star-studded ceremony and anointed its winners. If you're keen on all the details, we've put together the full list of newly minted Oscar recipients. We also have the full nominees list, our predictions for who we thought would and should win, and a rundown of where you can catch the bulk of this year's nominees in Australia. Also, if you haven't seen the ceremony yet but still plan to, we've created a drinking game to go with it (spoiler alert: prepare to knock back more than a few tipples, all while drinking responsibly). Just wondering what to watch ASAP — or rewatch if you're already up on all of this year's 95th Academy Awards contenders? Here are ten newly minted Oscar-winners that you can and should check out right now. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE Imagine living in a universe where Michelle Yeoh isn't the wuxia superstar she is. No, no one should want to dwell in that reality. Now, envisage a world where everyone has hot dogs for fingers, including the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon icon. Next, picture another where Ratatouille is real, but with raccoons. Then, conjure up a sparse realm where life only exists in sentient rocks. An alternative to this onslaught of pondering: watching Everything Everywhere All At Once, which throws all of the above at the screen and a helluva lot more. Yes, its title is marvellously appropriate. Written and directed by the Daniels, aka Swiss Army Man's Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, this multiverse-hopping wonder is a funhouse of a film that just keeps spinning through wild and wacky ideas. Instead of asking "what if Daniel Radcliffe was a farting corpse that could be used as a jet ski?" as their also-surreal debut flick did, the pair now muses on Yeoh, her place in the universe, and everyone else's along with her. Although Yeoh doesn't play herself in Everything Everywhere All At Once, she is seen as herself; keep an eye out for red-carpet footage from her Crazy Rich Asians days. Such glitz and glamour isn't the norm for middle-aged Chinese American woman Evelyn Wang, her laundromat-owning character in the movie's main timeline, but it might've been if life had turned out differently. That's such a familiar train of thought — a resigned sigh we've all emitted, even if only when alone — and the Daniels use it as their foundation. Their film starts with Evelyn, her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom's Short Round and The Goonies' Data) and a hectic time. Evelyn's dad (James Hong, Turning Red) is visiting from China, the Wangs' daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) brings her girlfriend Becky (Tallie Medel, The Carnivores) home, and IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis, Halloween Ends) is conducting a punishing audit. Then Evelyn learns she's the only one who can save, well, everything, everywhere and everyone. OSCARS: Won: Best Picture, Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) Nominations: Best Supporting Actress (Stephanie Hsu), Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Costume Design Where to watch: Streaming via Binge, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. GUIILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO Guillermo del Toro hasn't yet directed a version of Frankenstein, except that he now has in a way. Officially, he's chosen another much-adapted, widely beloved story — one usually considered less dark — but there's no missing the similarities between the Nightmare Alley and The Shape of Water filmmaker's stop-motion Pinocchio and Mary Shelley's ever-influential horror masterpiece. Both carve out tales about creations made by grief-stricken men consumed by loss. Both see those tinkerers help give life to things that don't usually have it, gifting existence to the inanimate because they can't cope with mortality's reality. Both notch up the fallout when those central humans struggles with the results of their handiwork, even though all that the beings that spring from their efforts want is pure and simple love and acceptance. Del Toro's take on Pinocchio still has a talking cricket, a blue-hued source of magic and songs, too, but it clearly and definitely isn't a Disney movie. Instead, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is an enchanting iteration of a story that everyone knows, and that's graced screens so many times that his was the third flick in 2022 alone. Yes, the director's name is officially in the film's title. Yes, it's likely there to stop the movie getting confused with that array of other page-to-screen adaptations, all springing from Carlo Collodi's 19th-century Italian children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio. That said, even if the list of features about the timber puppet wasn't longer than said critter's nose when he's lying, del Toro would earn the possessory credit anyway. No matter which narrative he's unfurling — including this one about a boy fashioned out of pine (voiced by Gregory Mann, Victoria) by master woodcarver Geppetto (David Bradley, Catherine Called Birdy) after the death of his son — the Mexican Oscar-winner's distinctive fingerprints are always as welcomely apparent as his gothic-loving sensibilities. OSCARS: Won: Best Animated Feature Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix. Read our full review. NAVALNY Man on Wire did it with The Walk, The Times of Harvey Milk sparked Milk and Dogtown and Z-Boys brought about Lords of Dogtown. Werner Herzog went from Little Dieter Needs to Fly to Rescue Dawn, too, and the Paradise Lost films were followed by Devil's Knot. One day, Navalny will join this growing list. Documentaries inspiring dramas isn't new, and Alexei Navalny's life story would scream for a biopic even if director Daniel Roher (Once Were Brothers) hadn't gotten there first — and so compellingly, or in such an acclaimed way, winning the 2022 Sundance Film Festival's Audience Award for its US doco competition in the process. When you're a Russian opposition leader crusading against corruption and Vladimir Putin, there's going to be a tale to tell. Usually only Hollywood screenwriters can conjure up a narrative like the one that Navalny has been living, though, typically in a Bourne-style spy thriller. Actually, John le Carré, Ian Fleming or Tom Clancy might've come up with something similar; still, even the former, the author responsible for such espionage efforts such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Night Manager, could've struggled to imagine minutiae this staggering. Creating a fictional character as complicated, captivating and candid as Navalny's namesake would've also been a stretch. Indeed, there are two key aspects to this engrossing doco: everything that it explores about its subject's life, especially given that he was poisoned in August 2020 while flying from Tomsk to Moscow with a Novichok nerve agent, with the Kremlin the suspected culprits; and the engaging pro-democracy advocate himself. The full details are astonishing and infuriating, with Navalny a candid and determined interviewee. No matter whether you know the details from copious news headlines or you're stepping through his tale for the first time, this doco couldn't be more gripping. OSCARS: Won: Best Documentary Feature Where to watch: Streaming via Docplay, SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT War makes meat, disposable labour and easy sacrifices of us all. In battles for power, as they always are, bodies are used to take territory, threaten enemies and shed blood to legitimise a cause. On the ground, whether in muddy trenches or streaming across mine-strewn fields, war sees the masses rather than the individuals, too — but All Quiet on the Western Front has always been a heartbreaking retort to and clear-eyed reality check for that horrific truth. Penned in 1928 by German World War I veteran Erich Maria Remarque, initially adapted for the screen by Hollywood in 1930 and then turned into a US TV movie in 1979, the staunchly anti-war story now gets its first adaptation in its native tongue. Combat's agonies echo no matter the language giving them voice, but Edward Berger's new film is a stunning, gripping and moving piece of cinema. Helming and scripting — the latter with feature first-timers Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell — All My Loving director Berger starts All Quiet on the Western Front with a remarkable sequence. The film will come to settle on 17-year-old Paul Bäumer (astonishing debutant Felix Kammerer) and his ordeal after naively enlisting in 1917, thinking with his mates that they'd be marching on Paris within weeks, but it begins with a different young soldier, Heinrich Gerber (Jakob Schmidt, Babylon Berlin), in the eponymous region. He's thrust into the action in no man's land and the inevitable happens. Then, stained with blood and pierced by bullets, his uniform is stripped from his body, sent to a military laundry, mended and passed on. The recipient: the eager Paul, who notices the past wearer's name on the label and buys the excuse that it just didn't fit him. No one dares waste a scrap of clothing — only the flesh that dons it, and the existences its owners don't want to lose. OSCARS: Won: Best International Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Original Score Nominations: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix. Read our full review. THE WHALE The actors have it: in The Whale, Brendan Fraser (No Sudden Move), Hong Chau (The Menu) and Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) are each masterful, and each in their own way. For viewers unaware that this drama about a reclusive 600-pound English professor stems from the stage going in, it won't take long to realise — for multiple reasons, the film's performances chief among them. As penned by Samuel D Hunter (also a writer on TV's Baskets) from his award-winning semi-autobiographical play, The Whale's script is talky and blunt. The movie is confined to its protagonist Charlie's home, and is as claustrophobic as it's meant to be as a result. But it's that key acting trio, with the portrayals they splash through a flick that's a complicated sea of feelings and ideas, that helps The Whale swim when it swims. Yes, the Brenaissance is upon us, showering Fraser in accolades including his first-ever Oscar nod; however, fellow Academy Award-nominee Chau and rising star Sink are equally as powerful. Is it really the Brenaissance if Fraser hasn't ever been too far from our screens for too long? When he was recently stellar in 2021's No Sudden Move, albeit in a supporting part? Given that it's been decades since he's had the space and the feature to serve up this kind of lead effort, the answer remains yes. Slip his The Whale performance in beside standout 2002 thriller The Quiet American — although the latter didn't place The Mummy action star and Encino Man comedic force beneath considerable prosthetics. Fraser doesn't let his appearance here do all the work, though. Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, who hones in on the stressed and tested as he has so frequently before (see: Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, The Wrestler and mother!), doesn't allow it to, either. At the core of the pair's collaboration is a portrayal that overflows with vulnerability and grief alongside optimism for humanity, and acutely fuses Charlie's emotional and physical states. The character self-mockingly jokes that his internal organs are buried deep, but nothing conceals Fraser's sensitivity. OSCARS: Won: Best Actor (Brendan Fraser), Best Makeup and Hairstyling Nominations: Best Supporting Actress (Hong Chau) Where to watch: In Australian cinemas. Read our full review. BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER Black Panther: Wakanda Forever isn't the movie it was initially going to be, the sequel to 2018's electrifying and dynamic Black Panther that anyone behind it originally wanted it to be, or the chapter in the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe that it first aimed to be — this, the world already knows. The reason why is equally familiar, after Chadwick Boseman died from colon cancer in 2020 aged 43. At its best, this direct followup to the MCU's debut trip to its powerful African nation doesn't just know this, too, but scorches that awareness deep into its frames. King T'Challa's death starts the feature, a loss that filmmaking trickery doesn't reverse, no matter how meaningless mortality frequently proves when on-screen resurrections are usually a matter of mere plot twists. Wakanda Forever begins with heartbreak and pain, in fact, and with facing the hard truth that life ends and, in ways both big and small, that nothing is ever the same. Your typical franchise entry about quick-quipping costumed crusaders courageously protecting the planet, this clearly isn't. Directed and co-written by Ryan Coogler (Creed) like its predecessor — co-scripting again with Joe Robert Cole (All Day and a Night) — Wakanda Forever is about grief, expected futures that can no longer be and having to move forward anyway. That applies in front of and behind the lens; as ruminating so heavily on loss underscores, the movie has a built-in justification for not matching the initial flick. The Boseman-sized hole at Wakanda Forever's centre is gaping, unsurprisingly, even in a feature that's a loving homage to him, and his charm and gravitas-filled take on the titular character. Also, that vast void isn't one this film can fill. Amid overtly reckoning with absence, Coogler still has a top-notch cast — returnees Letitia Wright (Death on the Nile), Angela Bassett (Gunpowder Milkshake), Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead), Lupita Nyong'o (The 355) and Winston Duke (Nine Days), plus new addition Tenoch Huerta (Narcos: Mexico), most notably — drawing eyeballs towards his vibrant imagery, but his picture is also burdened with MCU bloat and mechanics, and infuriating bet-hedging. OSCARS: Won: Best Costume Design Nominations: Best Supporting Actress (Angela Bassett), Best Original Song, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup and Hairstyling Where to watch: Streaming via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER To make earth's natural world look beautiful takes no effort at all, but doing the same with Pandora requires immense computing power. Given the latter is an imagined realm in James Cameron's Avatar movies, it can only exist via those ones and zeroes, and the imagery they generate — and yet in 13-years-later sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, the extrasolar moon can be as breathtakingly immersive as anything IRL. Indeed, when this second dip in what's now officially a franchise is at its best, and has audiences eagerly awaiting its third, fourth and fifth instalments in 2024, 2026 and 2028, it's an absolute visual marvel. When that's the case, it's also underwater, or in it. Yes, The Way of Water takes its subtitle seriously, splashing that part of its name about heartily in as much magnificently detailed 3D-shot and -projected glory as its director, cinematographer Russell Carpenter (a True Lies and Titanic alum) and hard-working special-effects team can excitedly muster. For Cameron, darling it really is better down where it's wetter. It's also surprising that he hasn't made a version of The Little Mermaid, a Free Willy entry or a SpongeBob SquarePants movie, such is his flowing love for H20. Plenty on his resume makes this fondness plain, including 2014 documentary Deepsea Challenge that he didn't helm, but chronicles his own journey to the deepest part of the Mariana Trench — aka the deepest part of earth's seabed. To the detriment of The Way of Water, however, there's more to Cameron's latest than soaking in underwater joys. When this flick gets wet, it's a wonder to peer at. It stresses the franchise's love of nature implicitly, and its eco-friendly message about valuing and not exploiting it. It makes viewers wish that what they're seeing truly was genuine. When it surfaces to spin its by-the-numbers story, though, it's often lucky to be an average paddle. OSCARS: Won: Best Visual Effects Nominations: Best Picture, Best Production Design, Best Sound Where to watch: In Australian cinemas. Read our full review. WOMEN TALKING Get Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Frances McDormand and more exceptional women in a room, point a camera their way, let the talk flow: Sarah Polley's Women Talking does just that, and the Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar-nominee is phenomenal. The actor-turned-filmmaker's fourth effort behind the lens after 2006's Away From Her, 2011's Take This Waltz and 2012's Stories We Tell does plenty more, but its basic setup is as straightforward as its title states. Adapted from Miriam Toews' 2018 novel of the same name, this isn't a simple or easy film, however. That book and this feature draw on events in a Bolivian Mennonite colony from 2005–9, where a spate of mass druggings and rapes of women and girls were reported at the hands of some of the group's men. In a patriarchal faith and society, women talking about their experiences is a rebellious, revolutionary act anyway — and talking about what comes next is just as charged. "The elders told us that it was the work of ghosts, or Satan, or that we were lying to get attention, or that it was an act of wild female imagination." That's teenage narrator Autje's (debutant Kate Hallett) explanation for how such assaults could occur and continue, as offered in Women Talking's sombre opening voiceover. Writing and helming, Polley declares her feature "an act of female imagination" as well, as Toews did on the page, but the truth in the movie's words is both lingering and haunting. While the film anchors its dramas in a specific year, 2010, it's purposefully vague on any details that could ground it in one place. Set within a community where modern technology is banned and horse-drawn buggies are the only form of transport, it's a work of fiction inspired by reality, rather than a recreation. Whether you're aware of the true tale behind the book going in or not, this deeply powerful and affecting picture speaks to how women have long been treated in a male-dominated world at large — and what's so often left unsaid, too. OSCARS: Won: Best Adapted Screenplay Nominations: Best Picture Where to watch: In Australian cinemas. Read our full review. TOP GUN: MAVERICK Gliding into cinemas almost four decades after its predecessor, Top Gun: Maverick is at its best when its jets are soaring. The initial Top Gun had the perfect song to describe exactly what these phenomenally well-executed and -choreographed action scenes feel like to view; yes, they'll take your breath away. Peppered throughout the movie, actually shot in real US Navy aircraft without a trace of digital effects, and as tense and spectacular as filmmaking can be in the feature's climactic sequences, they truly do make it seem as if you're watchin' in slow motion. Thankfully, this time that adrenaline kick is accompanied by a smarter and far more self-aware film, as directed by TRON: Legacy and Oblivion's Joseph Kosinski. Top Gun in the 80s was exactly what Top Gun in the 80s was always going to be — but Top Gun in the 2020s doesn't dare believe that nothing has changed, that Tom Cruise's still-smug Maverick can't evolve, and that the world the movie releases into hasn't either. Still hardly the navy's favourite despite his swagger, megawatt smile, gleaming aviators and unfailing self-confidence — well, really despite his need for speed and exceptional dogfighting skills in the air — Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Cruise, Mission: Impossible — Fallout) is given one last assignment. His destination: Fightertown USA, the California-based Top Gun program he strutted his way through all those years ago. There's an enemy nation with a secret weapons base that needs destroying, and his talents are crucial. But, to his dismay, Maverick is only asked to teach. Given a squad lorded over by the brash Hangman (Glen Powell, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood), and also including Coyote (Greg Tarzan Davis, Grey's Anatomy), Payback (Jay Ellis, Insecure), Fanboy (Danny Ramirez, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Phoenix (Monica Barbaro, Stumptown), Bob (Lewis Pullman, Outer Range) and the frosty Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw (Miles Teller, The Offer), he's tasked with training them to fly like he does, navigate a Star Wars-style impossible path that zips speedily at perilously low altitudes and, ideally, still survive the supremely dangerous mission. OSCARS: Won: Best Sound Nominations: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects Where to watch: Streaming via Paramount+, Binge, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. RRR The letters in RRR's title are short for Rise Roar Revolt. They could also stand for riveting, rollicking and relentless. They link in with the Indian action movie's three main forces, too — writer/director SS Rajamouli (Baahubali: The Beginning), plus stars NT Rama Rao Jr (Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava) and Ram Charan (Vinaya Vidheya Rama) — and could describe the sound of some of its standout moments. What noise echoes when a motorcycle is used in a bridge-jumping rescue plot, as aided by a horse and the Indian flag, amid a crashing train? Or when a truck full of wild animals is driven into a decadent British colonialist shindig and its caged menagerie unleashed? What racket resounds when a motorbike figures again, this time tossed around by hand (yes, really) to knock out those imperialists, and then an arrow is kicked through a tree into someone's head? Or, when the movie's two leads fight, shoot, leap over walls and get acrobatic, all while one is sat on the other's shoulders? RRR isn't subtle. Instead, it's big, bright, boisterous, boldly energetic, and brazenly unapologetic about how OTT and hyperactive it is. The 187-minute Tollywood action epic — complete with huge musical numbers, of course — is also a vastly captivating pleasure to watch. Narrative-wise, it follows the impact of the British Raj (aka England's rule over the subcontinent between 1858–1947), especially upon two men. In the 1920s, Bheem (Jr NTR, as Rao is known) is determined to rescue young fellow villager Malli (first-timer Twinkle Sharma), after she's forcibly taken by Governor Scott Buxton (Ray Stevenson, Vikings) and his wife Catherine (Alison Doody, Beaver Falls) for no reason but they're powerful and they can. Officer Raju (Charan) is tasked by the crown with making sure Bheem doesn't succeed in rescuing the girl, and also keeping India's population in their place because their oppressors couldn't be more prejudiced. OSCARS: Won: Best Original Song Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix. Read our full review. Looking for more Oscar-nominees to watch? You can also check out our full rundown of where almost all of this year's contenders are screening or streaming in Australia.
If Luca Guadagnino wants to keep making movies with Timothée Chalamet after the swooning, moving delight that was Call Me By Your Name, film lovers and Chalamet stans everywhere will be more than happy. And with Bones and All, that's exactly what he's doing again next. The Italian filmmaker is also giving fans of his 2017 queer romance — a flick that nabbed Chalamet a Best Actor Oscar nomination — another repeat gift, too. Who doesn't want to see that picture's Michael Stuhlbarg give Timothée life advice again? This time, though, it's in far bloodier circumstances. Arriving five years after Call Me By Your Name, and set to hit cinemas Down Under in November, Bones and All also sees Chalamet and Guadagnino collaborate on a love story — but with an extra bite. Forget peaches, as both the first sneak peek and the newly dropped full trailer make plain. Here, Chalamet plays one half of a cannibal couple. As Lee, the Dune, The French Dispatch and Don't Look Up actor gets gory — including with Taylor Russell's (Waves) Maren. The hybrid horror, romance and coming-of-age tale follows the pair of cannibal lovers as they road trip across America, chasing and satisfying their desires, and also grappling with what's brought them to this juncture. In both trailers so far, the vibe is yearning, swooning again, but also unsettling. It skews darker and more violent this time around, sinking its teeth into its biting premise. And when Mark Rylance (The Phantom of the Open) pops up in the two sneak peeks, he has his finger to his lips in a telling gesture of warning. Bones and All marks Guadagnino's first feature since 2018's Suspiria remake — after a detour to television with HBO series We Are Who We Are — and sees the director bring Camille DeAngelis' novel of the same name to the screen. Also featured in the film: We Are Who We Are alums Chloë Sevigny and Francesca Scorsese (yes, the daughter of filmmaker Martin Scorsese), plus André Holland (Passing), Jake Horowitz (The Vast of Night), filmmaker David Gordon Green (Halloween Kills), and Jessica Harper from both the original Suspiria and Guadagnino's version. Check out the full trailer for Bones and All below: Bones and All releases in cinemas Down Under on November 24.
Since 1989, Sweden's Icehotel has given travellers a decidedly cool place to stay each winter. December hits, and the site reveals its new frosty rooms — the kind that are carved out of ice and only around for a short time, as they'll melt once the weather gets warmer. They're not just any old slabs of ice and snow in the village of Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, however. As part of their annual tradition, the accommodation provider calls for designers and artists to unleash their chilly ideas — then unveils their wondrous creations to travellers. In the 2018–19 crop? A candy-inspired world made out of cold, cold substances, a forest campsite complete with an icy kombi van you can sleep in, a bed guarded by icy animals and another that resembles a journey into the ocean's depths. Or, perhaps you'd like to climb into a dome-shaped room that looks like a polar cave — or a geometric-heavy abode that's not only inspired by cracking ice, but adds more cracks the more you move through the suite. Now open until April 2019, the fresh blend of ice and creativity features 35 one-of-a-kind rooms in total, as crafted by 34 artists from 13 different countries. They're made from more than 30,000 cubic metres of snice — that's a mix of snow and ice — from the local Torne River. As well as places to sleep, the new iteration also includes an ice bar, ice ceremony hall and ice gallery. If you're a fan of the kind of coldness the southern hemisphere doesn't see at this time of the year, but you can't make it to Icehotel's cold climes during the northern winter, don't worry — in addition to their annual slate of artistic suites, Icehotel has been open all year round for the past year. It includes 20 permanent suites, an ice bar, plus private saunas and spas for an added touch of warmth in such cold surroundings. For more information about Icehotel, visit www.icehotel.com. Images: Asaf Kliger.
Chances are, no matter how many drinks you downed on ANZAC Day, you didn't wake up with a penguin in your bed. That is, unless you're one of these three guys. In a wild night dubbed 'The Hangover come to life', three allegedly intoxicated tourists broke into the Gold Coast's Sea World Australia this past weekend. Once inside, they took the opportunity to go for a dip with the dolphins, take a video or two, and - oh yeah - kidnap a penguin. The unsuspecting penguin, named Dirk, had an even rougher go of it. Released by one of the three (panicked) men early Sunday morning, Dirk took to a nearby shark-infested waterway. Once chased out of his watery haven by a menacing shark, he out-waddled a curious dog before being rescued by passersby. Dirk has since by safely returned to Sea World, and to his lady penguin, Peaches. The three jokesters may not get off so lucky. They have released the phone-captured video of their drunken prank in hopes of demonstrating their 'non-malicious' intentions; even so, they are currently facing charges. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6ze6HKOiCNQ
The year is 2113, you are about to embark on a walking tour that dissects the consumerism, ignorance and individualism of 2013. Well, sort of. It's not really 2113, but this comedic tour of our fair city (as part of the Anywhere Theatre Festival) pokes fun at the rampant idiocy of contemporary living and the possible implications of living in an age of overconsumption and intolerance. While it may not be as in-your-face as the film Idiocracy was, the tour (led by Xavier the Penguin) takes in all the interesting artefacts of our time, including 'cars', 'mobile phones', 'beef', 'pop music', 'sport', 'the stock market', 'advertising' and 'reality television' and examines the pop culture obsession that threatens to dumb down our future. The tours depart Brew in the City every day at 5.30pm until Sunday, May 19 (with an additional 2pm tour on weekends). Thanks to Graceful Productions, we have two double passes to When We Were Idiots on Wednesday, May 15, to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au.
Believe. That's Ted Lasso's (Jason Sudeikis, Saturday Night Live) standard advice, and it's going to come in handy in the hit Apple TV+ sitcom that shares his name's upcoming third season. On-screen, the American coach and his AFC Richmond team need to believe in themselves after their promotion to the Premier League, especially when everyone around them thinks they'll be relegated before the year is out. Off-screen, fans of this award-winner can simply believe that the show will finally be back, returning mid-March almost two years after its second season. Believing has played a part in both of Ted Lasso's season-three trailers so far, too, the latest of which has just hit the pitch. The choice of song accompanying the new sneak peek is telling, and just the kind of advice that Ted would give his squad: 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'. The new trailer is filled with glimpses of ups, downs and showdowns to come set to The Rolling Stones' tune, with AFC Richmond battling that lack of belief from outside, and also clashing with the club's former assistant coach Nathan 'Nate' Shelley (Nick Mohammed, Intelligence). He walked out on the team, and on his perennially optimistic mentor Ted, for rivals West Ham United. So, get ready for a hefty rivalry — but is Ted facing off against an adversary still going to be the usual Ted? Viewers will find out across 12 episodes, which will start streaming from Wednesday, March 15. Also, Ted has both work and personal struggles to deal with, Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle) leans into his assistant coach role, Keeley Jones (Juno Temple, The Offer) is managing her own PR firm, and AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham, Hocus Pocus 2) is all about defeating West Ham United (and her ex Rupert Mannion, played by Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Stewart Head, who owns it). While Ted Lasso has felt like streaming's biggest warm hug across its first and second seasons, it wasn't afraid to skew darker in the latter, including as Nate felt pushed aside, ignored and unloved by Ted. Viewers will know that the last batch of episodes culminated with Nate's defection — but as seen in the first teaser trailer for season three, the rest of the AFC Richmond crew still has plenty to believe in, taking one of Ted's favourite words to heart. Also part of the team, whether on or off the field: recent hotshot player Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, The Devil's Hour), his teammates Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh, The French Dispatch) and Dani Rojas (Cristo Fernandez, Spider-Man: No Way Home), Ted's laconic second-in-charge and long-time friend Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt, Bless This Mess), and AFC Richmond Director of Football Operations Leslie Higgins (Jeffrey Swift, Housebound). As the sitcom's first two seasons have shown, viewers definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this series' ongoing charms — although if you obsessed over the 2022 World Cup, it might help fill the gap until the 2026 version arrives. Kind-hearted in the way that Parks and Recreation, Wellington Paranormal, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Abbott Elementary have also proven, Ted Lasso will be in for a significant obstacle in 2023, thanks to Ted and Nate's battle. Usually, this series celebrates people who support each other, are always there for each other and form close bonds as a result. Indeed, that's what has made it so instantly likeable. But with Nate now working for the competition, change is afoot — don't expect to see the show mess too much with its winning formula, though. Check out the trailer for Ted Lasso's third season below: Season three of Ted Lasso will stream via Apple TV+ from Wednesday, March 15. Read our full review of season two.
The act of fashioning sandcastles from the tiny grains of sand situated on the edge of the ocean's gently crashing waves holds a place in the heart of everyone's inner child. Standing armed with a spade and bucket on the seemingly never-ending expanse of sand at the beach is a thrill few can forget. The possibilities for creating mysterious cities, dangerous moats, impenetrable barriers, and elaborate decoration within the imagination of a young mind can be exceeded by very few people. However, highly skilled artists who can manipulate the sand so precisely and creatively to produce sandcastles that appear photoshopped or from a fantasy world are some of the few who make that cut. And sandcastle builder Calvin Seibert is one of those artists. Consisting purely of sand particles and water, Seibert's perfect geometric shapes of sharply angled turrets, perfectly curved ramps, and serenely smooth surfaces need to be seen to be believed. Each of the artist's masterpieces takes roughly a day to build, and although appearing as solid as concrete, each construction is merely a light step away from being crumpled into oblivion. Take a look at some of Seibert's astonishing sandcastles. They're sure to bring back the good old imaginative days of childhood - but they will also make you sharply aware of how imperfect your young hands and bucket really were. See more of Seibert's sandcastles on Flickr.
The b.f.f. is now your new BFF. Now in its second year of operation, the Brisbane Fringe Festival has released a massive program of events that encompass everything. Yes, I mean everything. They've got music, art, burlesque, cabaret, circus, comedy, literature, theatrical productions andworkshops, plus heaps more. The Brisbane Fringe Festival is a not-for-profit, artist and venue run organisation that simply encourages people to immerse themselves in some of the off-beat culture that Brisbane has to offer. This supportive team of disparate factions unite and celebrate collaborative work, idea sharing and providing excellent entertainment under one banner. The festival has a great selection of partners, eager to get on board and ensure that this is a fortnight to remember. Brisbane’s own community television station, 31 Digital, is presenting the b.f.f. Comedy Festival, while Scene Magazine and 4zzz Radio are throwing their support in as well. There simply isn't enough room in this post to tell you about all the great things, but we have made an effort to list our choices of some of the best. We've only just scratched the surface though, so make sure you are checking out the program for yourself and making a mental note of each and every event that catches your eye. Happy hunting!
It doesn’t take a genius to work out the Fortitude Valley is going through a bit of mid-life crisis. From the Brunswick Mall facelift to epic old school pub renovations, the winds are a-changing, bringing with them a gust of fresh-faced, tried and true local joints. Now, The Wickham is the latest heritage bar to nip, tuck and treat their venue to a much needed do-over. The historic Valley pub has reopened its doors with five completely new spaces, all-day menus and an aim to attract a broader audience — that means you. Gone are the stale smells, foreign stains and giddy bright lights; class and sophistication have swept through the venue, transforming the Wickham into a bar that finally complements the space's beautiful heritage architecture. While The Wickham has always managed to draw a tipsy crowd on any weeknight, wide-ranging food and innovative cocktails are their new drawcard — including a bacon Bloody Mary. The competitive show of restaurants in the Valley might have a new rival with The Wickam's penchant for pub staples sporting contemporary flare. The new dinner and share menu have something to suit every pub meal palate, with everything from bánh mì to karaage chicken, Moroccan meatballs to a brioche cheeseburger — and of course, a fresh take on the chicken parmigiana. With these expansive dining options on show, you can sit down for an intimate meal or drink and nibble with friends in the courtyard or corner bar. With five rooms and an outdoor area to choose from, choosing a seat won't be nearly as hard as picking from the menu — head Chef Gillian Hirst has really worked wonders. Everything from the tiles to the trading times has changed with The Wickham's refurbishments. The Valley pub is now open seven days a week, with coffee, tea and 'grab and go' options available from 6.30am weekdays and 10am weekends. The full menu begins from 11.30am and goes until late. We suggest you embrace this renovation with open arms and empty stomach. Rediscover The Wickham at 308 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley.
The world is a big place. Making decisions is stressful. Choosing a place to holiday is hard. But if you're really in a bind — or a standoff with your holiday partner — Lonely Planet's latest travel list might be able to help you lock in your next destination. The travel publication has just released its annual Best in Travel list. Topping the list for the best country to visit in 2019 is Sri Lanka. This might not come as much of a shock — if you haven't already been yourself, you most likely have mates that have been over there on a surf trip, to hike through the tea fields or to visit family. According to Lonely Planet's editors, the island nation was given its number one place due to its "mix of religions and cultures, its timeless temples, its rich and accessible wildlife, its growing surf scene" and its affordable nosh. It recommends catching some surf at Arugam Bay, kayaking through the lagoons of Marakolliya Beach, catching the scenic train to Ella, getting some culture in Kandy and visiting the ancient ruins of Anuradhapura. Sri Lanka is still in relative infancy when it comes to tourism; the country's civil war only ended ten years ago, but tourism continues to grow at a rapid rate. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority estimates that the number of tourist arrivals has grown from 448,000 in 2009 when the civil war ended to over two million in 2017. This has seen major hotel chains scramble to open properties in Sri Lanka and improved access to parts of the country that were previously harder to access. Lonely Planet calls it a "country revived" and, we predict, one that's likely to change rapidly with the fast growing tourism industry. Other countries on the list include Germany — which is set to score new museums in 2019 — as well as Zimbabwe, Panama and another new tourist spot, Kyrgyzstan. Unlike last year when New Zealand was ranked number five on the best countries list and Canberra came in as the third best city, neither Australia nor NZ made it onto the lists.
Forget about kennel stays or pet-sitting — the latest homegrown tourism campaign to hit our small screens is encouraging very good dogs to head off on their own weekend getaways (well, it's encouraging their owners to bring them along for the ride). The latest — and yes, slightly ridiculous — Visit Victoria ad campaign pushes the idea that dogs make the world's best travel buddies, showcasing pet-friendly cafes, restaurants, accomodation, breweries, wineries and activities all across regional Victoria. In an advertising first, it's also "dog-optimised", apparently, featuring a visual set-up designed specifically for dogs' eyeballs, apparently. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHbvL1dwVYk Pulling together content from some of the state's favourite four-legged social media influencers, Your Dog's Happy Space expands on the recent human-focused Your Happy Space campaign, and highlights the best out-of-town stuff you can enjoy with your dog in tow. The video ad features pet-friendly destinations like the Yarra Valley's DeBortoli Winery, Pancho Cafe in Daylesford and Toorongo Falls in Noojee, while a supporting website boasts a sprawling directory to yet more spots, organised by region. You can check out the new campaign and all its dog-friendly suggestions at visitvictoria.com/dogs. Currently, around 65 percent of Victorians own a pet, but most think that travelling with them is simply too hard. Let's see if this changes a few human (or dog) minds. Images: Courtesy @tomandcaptain
In 2028, one of the biggest names in Hollywood — and in cinema in general — will turn 100. When that year's Oscars takes place, recognising and rewarding the films of 2027, it'll mark a century of celebrating the latest and greatest on the big screen. The event will also fix a glaring omission from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' annual accolades. There'd be no movie magic without stunts, but the Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design will only join the Oscars when it hits its massive milestone. On Friday, April 11, 2025, Down Under time, the AMPAS Board of Governors announced that it is creating an annual competitive Oscar for stunts — and yes, "finally" is the word that should instantly come to mind. Adding the category comes after a concerted push from stunt professionals in recent years, and after The Fall Guy's Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt were tasked with paying tribute to stunt performers at the 2024 ceremony. [caption id="attachment_999323" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Al Seib, The Academy[/caption] "Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking. We are proud to honour the innovative work of these technical and creative artists, and we congratulate them for their commitment and dedication in reaching this momentous occasion," said said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang, announcing the new stunts Oscar. Details on eligibility and voting for the award are still to come, however — and the same regarding how the accolade will be presented. The former will be revealed in 2027, when the 100th Academy Awards rules are unveiled. The latter will be announced "by the Academy's Board of Governors and executive leadership at a future date". [caption id="attachment_999325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Richard Harbaugh, The Academy[/caption] Wondering which movies might be in contention for the first-ever Oscar for stunt design? 2027's current planned releases include the live-action The Legend of Zelda film, Avengers: Secret Wars, the sequel to The Batman, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum and the second live-action How to Train Your Dragon, for starters, plus Sonic the Hedgehog 4, a sequel to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and an untitled Star Wars flick. The Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design is just the second new Oscar field since Best Animated Feature Film joined the roster in 2001, the third since Best Makeup and Hairstyling in 1981, and the fourth since Best Costume Design in 1948. The other recent addition hasn't actually been handed out yet, with the Achievement in Casting gong set to first be awarded at the 2026 ceremony, covering movies released in 2025. [caption id="attachment_999326" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dana Pleasant, AMPAS[/caption] [caption id="attachment_718585" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marvel Studios 2018[/caption] The Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design will join the Oscars for films released in 2027, so will be first presented at the 2028 ceremony. For more information, head to the Oscars website. Top image: The Fall Guy.
We all enjoy a quiet night at home every now and again — but we never expected this year to involve quite so many. So, if you're starting to feel a little restless, we've teamed up with Miller Design Lab to highlight some alternatives to spice up your next night indoors. Miller Design Lab is the home of creativity and self-expression built by Australia's leading minds in design, art, technology and fashion (and now you). Together, we're celebrating our nightlife and its impact on culture with exceptional moments brought to you at home. Keep reading to discover four ways you can easily experience parts of Brisbane's epic nightlife — from live music and cultural events to world-class food and drinks — without leaving your pad. LIVE-STREAM A GIG FROM A LOCAL DJ When you're confined to the same four walls for most of the day, you can spend an awful lot of time sitting down. Rather than spending another evening working on that imprint in the couch, get on your feet and turn your lounge room into a makeshift d-floor. Sure, the feeling of being out at a club surrounded by all your mates is pretty hard to replicate, but there are some positives — for starters, nobody can judge you for your terrible moves. Have a crack at creating your own playlist or, if you want to leave it to the professionals, check out one of the virtual club nights that are happening online. For a dose of nostalgia, tune into Hot Dub Time Machine's biweekly parties, which cover six decades of musical bangers, from mid-50s rock 'n' roll to the latest dance hits. And, if you've been a regular attendee of gay club night Poof Doof, you'll be pleased to hear it's now jumped online, too, with a weekly live-stream. See also: Room 2 Radio's Friday night streams and Club Quarantine's nightly offering. For a night of throwing shapes, you'll want to prep with something filling but not too heavy. Middle Eastern eatery Naim is a good place to turn with a selection of hearty delivery dinners loaded with veggies and grains — like a falafel wrap or a hummus platter with lamb kawarma, garnishes and flatbread. Pair your dinner with a premixed double martini from West End bar Covent Garden. [caption id="attachment_710997" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Lidmila[/caption] LEARN A NEW PARTY TRICK We can only hope that when normal life resumes, there'll be an onslaught of parties and nights out. So, if you want to have something to show for your time in isolation, use this downtime to pick up a new party trick. If the above DJ live-streams have inspired you, head over to Ableton's website. There, you'll find a bunch of free resources to kick off your music making journey, including ebooks and a 90-day free trial period of its Live 10 interface. Or, if you're more concerned about improving your moves, try an online dance course. Sydney Dance Company has currently shifted its entire class program online, including hip hop beginners classes, and they cost just $12 a pop (or you can get an unlimited membership for $28 a week). Or you could check out Groove Therapy's online courses. There's a very suitable Party Dance course (USD$89), which includes bite-sized video tutorials, curated playlists and bonus resources on dance history. Whichever you choose, it'll add a little flavour to your house parties — both pre- and post-lockdown. To keep you both well-fuelled and inspired while you study, order in some class party staples. An easy-drinking beer, like Miller Genuine Draft, and a woodfired pizza from local Newstead pizzeria Italian Street Kitchen should suit the scene perfectly. VIRTUALLY CELEBRATE YOUR MATE'S BIRTHDAY Poor ol' autumn babies. They're currently all experiencing one of childhood's biggest fears: nobody coming to their birthday party. So, make sure the birthday guy or gal's special day isn't forgotten in all the madness by organising an isolation-style bash with the entire crew over Houseparty. Play some games that'll get everyone up and moving — think good ol' charades or Heads Up — or challenge yourselves with a virtual escape room. And end the evening the way every birthday night out should end: karaoke. You can blame your bad vocals on your mate's shitty laptop speakers. Of course, it isn't a true birthday party without some cake so splash out on decadent creation from Jocelyn's Provisions — you can opt for cupcakes, medium or large cakes depending on how many people you're isolating with. And you'll need a drink to raise a toast to your mate, too, so order some cocktails from Death and Taxes. The Brisbane City bar is delivering bottled tipples — think negronis, old-fashioneds and the Mary Morey with citroen, ruby grapefruit, peach aperitif and blueberry wine — alongside boilermakers and whisky flights. [caption id="attachment_767870" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reuben Gibbes[/caption] CREATE YOUR OWN LIGHT FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE INDOORS While small gatherings and dining out may return to our lives in the near future, it's looking like we'll be waiting a little longer for large-scale cultural events. But even though Vivid, Sydney's legendary festival of lights, art and ideas, isn't happening this year, there is a movement swelling to recreate the magic on a smaller scale. Kicking off on May 22, DIY Vivid will encourage Aussies to transform their isolation pads into a makeshift light festival using coloured light bulbs and strobe machines. There'll also be a DJ simulcast stream happening on the launch night. You could take it a step further and — just like the epic animated light projections that happen on buildings across Sydney during Vivid — project one of Nema Adel's digital art loops onto your living room wall, or tune into Hobart museum Mona's live-stream of Ryoji Ikeda's Spectra. It's a 15-kilometre tall tower of beaming white light that stands over the city's skyline, and the stream is accompanied by music specially curated for the exhibit. In homage to the buzzing festival, pair your arty activities with some colourful tipples and street food. Check out Baja in Fortitude Valley — its takeaway menu includes a range of SoCal Mexican-inspired eats including build-your-own taco kits, chipotle slaw and spiced roast pumpkin dips. Oh, and don't forget to order some spicy margaritas, too. For more ways to celebrate your city's nightlife and recreate its energy in your own space, head this way. Image: Reuben Gibbes
The year is 2113, you are about to embark on a walking tour that dissects the consumerism, ignorance and individualism of 2013. Well, sort of. It's not really 2113, but this comedic tour of our fair city (as part of the Anywhere Theatre Festival) pokes fun at the rampant idiocy of contemporary living and the possible implications of living in an age of overconsumption and intolerance. While it may not be as in-your-face as the film Idiocracy was, the tour (led by Xavier the Penguin) takes in all the interesting artefacts of our time, including ‘cars’, ‘mobile phones’, ‘beef’, ‘pop music’, ‘sport’, ‘the stock market’, ‘advertising’ and ‘reality television’ and examines the pop culture obsession that threatens to dumb down our future. You can catch the tours every day at 5.30pm (with an additional 2pm tour on weekends) at Brew in the City. The show ends on Sunday, May 19, so grab an ticket and head into town soon if you want to be a part of the fun.
Are you in the mood for a tantalising show with a bit of coarse language, adult themes, sexual references and partial nudity? If so, you’re in luck because the latest show to grace QPAC comes with the above warning label. Spring Awakening may have been doing the rounds for many years now, but its long standing history only proves its doing something right. Oh, and I guess you could also say the eight Tony Awards (including Best Musical) the play has won also prove that. The storyline appears to sound exactly like your standard coming of age saga, with promises of 19th century German youth, self-discovery and rebellion filling the script. However, no matter how cliché and played out the narrative may appear to be, how often is it that you can see such a story acted and sung out live, right in front of you? The production is run and cast by a group of talented Brisbane-ites, including director Emily Gilhome and musical director David Law. Take this opportunity to see a worldwide hit presented by our own people and it will not disappoint – after all, it has a warning label!
Imagine that someone from the year 2007 or earlier — anyone who existed before May 2008, for that matter — suddenly reappeared today, happily oblivious about everything that's happened since, and immediately asked what was doing big business on the big and small screens. To answer that question, you'd need to explain the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which kicked off 14 years back with Iron Man and has shown zero signs of stopping from then onwards. The MCU hasn't just kept on keeping on over ever since Robert Downey Jr introduced the world to Tony Stark. It has grown and sprawled and taken over not only cinemas, but streaming queues as well. And if you're wondering what's coming next — after a busy 2022 already, which has seen Moon Knight, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Ms Marvel and Thor: Love and Thunder arrive so far — Marvel just unveiled its plans for the next couple of years at San Diego Comic-Con. 2022 still has two MCU titles to come: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which stars Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) as a lawyer who learns that it isn't easy being green, and the eagerly awaited Black Panther sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The first starts streaming from August 17, the second hits cinemas on November 10, and both dropped either new or initial trailers, too. And, they'll round out the Marvel Cinematic Universe's phase four, because this non-stop saga is broken into chapters that split its enormous story up into smaller parts. [caption id="attachment_862313" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Obviously, this means that phase five is on its way. Marvel has also dubbed the story from the phase four through to the end of phase six 'the multiverse saga'. Given that everything from Spider-Man: No Way Home to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been dropping that m-word, that's hardly surprising. The MCU's fifth phase has 12 titles in store — some already announced, some newly confirmed. Come February 16, 2023 Down Under, the third Ant-Man flick — Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — will continue the pint-sized superhero's story (and bring more Paul Rudd to the MCU). Alongside that, hitting Disney+ sometime during autumn 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, is Secret Invasion. It focuses on Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury, and will also feature the return of Ben Mendelsohn (Cyrano) as Talos, as well as Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami), Emilia Clarke (Last Christmas) and Olivia Colman (Mothering Sunday). On May 4, 2023, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3 will reach the big screen, while The Marvels — which teams up Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Just Mercy), Ms Marvel (Iman Vellani) and WandaVision's Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, Candyman) — arrives in cinemas on July 27. In-between, newcomer Echo, a spinoff from Hawkeye focusing on Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), will make its way to streaming in winter 2023, as will season two of Loki. [caption id="attachment_862338" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] November 2, 2023 heralds the return of Blade, with the half-vampire vamp hunter played by Moonlight and Green Book Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali this time around — and sometime that spring, Disney+ series Ironheart will drop, too. First, that character (played by Dominique Thorne, Judas and the Black Messiah) will feature in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. During the summer of 2023–24, Agatha: Coven of Chaos will magic itself into streaming queues as well — giving the delightful Kathryn Hahn her own witchy WandaVision spinoff series, as first revealed in 2021. And, in 2024, phase five will also see a new 18-episode Daredevil series starring Charlie Cox (King of Thieves) and Vincent D'Onofrio (The Unforgivable) hit in autumn. They return to the roles of Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk following the 2015–18 Netflix series, and this go-around is called Daredevil: Born Again. [caption id="attachment_799400" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Similarly arriving the same year: a new Captain America movie, called Captain America: New World Order, focusing on Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) with the cape and shield — on May 2, 2024. And, fellow flick Thunderbolts will release on July 25, 2024, wrapping up phase five, and focusing on a new team of characters. As for phase six, it currently has three titles in the works, with more to come. They're all massive, though, given that they start with yet another Fantastic Four film on November 7, 2024 (with no cast yet announced) and end with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars on May 1 and November 6, 2025, respectively. Just announced in Hall H: Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four, in theaters November 8, 2024. #SDCC2022 pic.twitter.com/z4j7tsfKl9 — Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) July 24, 2022 For more information about Marvel's upcoming slate of films and TV shows, head to the company's website. Top image: Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.
Every now and then, Airbnb wants you to sleep somewhere you wouldn't normally be able to visit, such as Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse, the Ted Lasso pub, the Moulin Rouge! windmill and Gwyneth Paltrow's Montecito abode. Whichever spots that the accommodation platform is offering up, there's usually a common denominator: these once-in-a-lifetime stays aren't Down Under. Hobbiton broke the trend, and the Bluey house, too. So does Logan Martin's Gold Coast home. Fancy spending a long weekend at the Olympic BMX gold medalist's house? This spring, you can. Airbnb has been focusing on well-known folks of late, following up Paltrow's guesthouse with Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis' own oceanside equivalent in Santa Barbara County. Now comes Martin's place, with the Australian champ — who won his gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the first-ever men's BMX freestyle competition at the games — welcoming a group of up to four people from Saturday, September 30–Tuesday, October 3. In some Aussie states — including Queensland — the dates do indeed fall over a long weekend. Even if they don't for you, this is a three-night getaway. And it's cheap. How cheap? Just $16 per night, which is a real cost-of-living crisis bargain. If you're wondering whether Martin will be hanging around, the answer is yes — for a BMX demonstration and session in his backyard. He'll put his very own state-of-the-art, Olympic-sized skatepark to good use, and also show you how to, in an effort to inspire future BMX riders. Scoring the booking also includes making the most of the three-bedroom, two-bathroom Gold Coast hinterland home's views, putting green and sandpit, as well as its pool. Inside, you'll be surrounded by Martin's trophies, medals and other memorabilia. Like all of these special Airbnb stays, you do need to be available to kick back on the specific dates — and you need to be lucky enough to score the reservation, which opens at 9am AEST on Tuesday, September 12. Also, all travel costs fall on you, with the $16-per-night accommodation fee just covering access to the property. "I stay in Airbnbs all over the world, and love how these stays have given my family and I a unique way to explore amazing places and really authentically connect with new communities," said Martin. "As a host, I will bring a unique and adventure-fuelled experience to my guests so they can create exciting lifelong memories — including a very special one-on-one BMX experience in my world class skatepark in my backyard." Airbnb adds this new extremely short-term listing to its roster after also doing the same with Japan's World Heritage-listed Suganuma Village, the Paris theatre that inspired The Phantom of the Opera, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, The Godfather mansion, the South Korean estate where BTS filmed In the Soop and the Sanderson sisters' Hocus Pocus cottage in recent years. For more information about Logan Martin's Gold Coast home on Airbnb, or to book at 9am AEST on Tuesday, September 12 for a stay from Saturday, September 30–Tuesday, October 3, head to the Airbnb website. Images: Luke Marsden Photography. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Wotif.com. At the risk of sounding like your mum, going to the Whitsundays at some point during the next few bitter, blustery months would be for your own good. After all, you need your Vitamin D. The cocktails with sunset views, impossibly white sand, high-speed catamarans, winter spa specials, underwater adventures and breaching whales are simply added bonuses. Here's five reasons to make like a migratory creature and head for the heat. SOAK UP SOME VITAMIN D As difficult as it might be to believe, one-third of we Aussies are Vitamin D deficient. What's more, to inject minimum requirements of the stuff into your diet, you need to drink at least ten tall glasses of fortified milk every day. That's a fair bit of pressure on both you and your pet cow, right? Fortunately, there's a much more palatable alternative: jump on a plane and spend some time baring all under the Whitsundays sun, where, right now, the average temperature is 22°C. In fact, 34.8 percent of holidaymakers say that hitting the beach is their hottest winter activity, 29.2 percent seek out new cultures, 24.7 percent just want to laze by the pool and 9.3 percent are after cool cocktails. Speed up your Vit D intake with a GoDo Whitehaven Beach sailing adventure, which involves some super-fast sailing on the luxury catamaran Camira. SWAP HOT CHOCOLATES FOR TROPICAL COCKTAILS Many of us try to make the frosty, shivery months more digestible by wrapping our mittens around a hot chocolate, snuggling up in a corner somewhere and telling ourselves it'll be over soon. But, thanks to the fact that the Whitsundays are just a hop, skip and a jump away (in plane terms), you could be swapping your cocoa for a cocktail, within hours from now. For poolside beverages, there's The Hamilton Island Reef View Hotel, and for a strawberry and orange Summer Love cocktail, complete with sunset views, you can head to One Tree Hill, Hamilton's stunning hilltop lookout. INDULGE AND GET PAMPERED Is winter doing for your skin what Budget 2014 is doing for the arts? Leaving it drier and more forlorn than a lone penguin in Antarctica? You could stay where you are, pinning cucumbers to your eyes and moisturising like there's no tomorrow, or you could head to Airlie Beach. Endota at Pinnacles Resort and Spa currently has a weekday spa special going on and one of the best things about it is that once you've renewed and rejuvenated, you can get dreamy on their private verandah staring out at the Coral Sea and the Whitsunday Islands for as long as you like. SEE THE UNDERWATER WORLD The teenage temperatures that Australia's southern waters reach in July and August are only fit for hardcore surfers, Bondi Icebergers and masochists. The rest of us have to give up, accept the limitations of a terrestrial existence and wait. But on the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef, the water temperature hardly ever drops below 23 degrees. Yes, 23! So you can go underwater with Nemo and his friends in comfort all year round, whether you want to snorkel or scuba dive. SPOT A WHALE Whales have been around long enough to have figured out a thing or two. That's why they don't waste time hanging around in freezing cold water getting grumpy; they head for where the central heating's on full. Between July and October every year, you'll see them breaching around the Whitsundays, making occasional visits to the Great Barrier Reef and generally having a fine old time mucking about with their babies. Book your Whitsundays getaway now with Wotif.com.
